


Minor Characters I: Odd Man Out

by gelbes_gilatier



Series: Minor Characters [2]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Bodyswap, Brainwashing, Female Friendship, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Mission Fic, Soldiers, Team, Teambuilding, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-11
Updated: 2013-08-14
Packaged: 2017-11-25 01:43:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 33,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/633749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gelbes_gilatier/pseuds/gelbes_gilatier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone knows SG1... but what about the other teams on the roster? Here's one of them. Meet Major Thomas Moore, Captain Laura Greenspan, Lieutenant Maureen Reece and Master Sergeant Simon DeLisle - also known as SG10 - and accompany them on the mission that made them a team.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this takes place a year before the Atlantis Expedition takes off (and I might have taken a few liberties with canon timeline *coughs) and I honestly hope there will be people interested in these characters (because let's be honest, I do have a soft spot for all of them, but especially for Major "I'm a stupid brickhead and why yes, I do like to be one, why do you ask?" Moore ;)). Like all my early stories, this one is _not_ betaed by **mackenziesmomma** , so every mistakes is my own and cannot be blamed on her. Anyway, on with the story. 
> 
> Also... I even have a banner for this.
> 
> [](http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j316/Gelbes_Gilatier/Banner/?action=view&current=SG10_bannercopy.jpg)  
> 

** Minor Characters I: Odd Man Out  **

  
_"We will rise and we will fall_   
_We will laugh, we will stand tall_   
_Turning people into numbers_   
_And numbers into more."_   


_Runrig, "The Numbers Game"_

**_Moore_ **

Okay, so I hadn’t exactly planned to let the mission go like this. Honestly, I hadn’t planned to let Reece end up in the infirmary _again_ or to let Laura almost getting kidnapped or to let DeLisle almost blow up the team instead of the enemy. But it had been one of those days. You know, those days were you get up on the wrong foot and just about _everything_ goes wrong at some point? Right, this was one of “those”.

First the SGC gave us mission specs they could have spared us the time reading because the information we got out of them was near to nothing. Then the first thing we saw emerging the ‘Gate was a zat-gun pointed to each of our heads by the not so friendly locals of P4X-639. On top of it all it turned out that our target – a secret bio-weapon lab set up by Maybourne – was abandoned. Meaning we could well have saved us the whole fucking trip. Instead we got into serious trouble, had to do a lot of shooting, shouting, running and all the other stuff you normally work very hard to avoid during a covert op.

And now, in the end, I’m sitting again in the infirmary at the bed of my youngest team member, First Lieutenant Maureen Reece, USMC, called “Mouse” during our missions, and not what I would call a poster girl for the Marines. Don’t get me wrong; she’s neither stupid nor lazy – in fact she is one hell of a linguist – but I truly wonder how she ever made it through boot camp and OCS and to the SGC.

Reece didn’t get her call sign out of nothing. She truly appears like a mouse. Not from her outward appearance, mind you – those fire-red locks and green eyes _are_ an asset – but from her whole demeanor. Always shy and quiet. And a bit of clumsy. Which makes her the one destined to usually end up in the infirmary when a mission goes awry. Only this time it wasn’t her fault. It was mine.

I should have seen that guy coming from behind. And I should have seen the knife in his hand. I should have…

“Beating yourself up again, flyboy?” Laura’s voice cuts through my musings. I turn around and give her a slight grin.

“No use pretending anything, is it?” She grins back. “I know you inside out, and you know I do.” My 2IC’s right. We’ve known each other since being toddlers, we practically grew up together, with me being two years older than her. And whatever we did, even if we decided doing it completely independent from the other, we ended up together. Which I don’t complain about since Laura is kind of like a little sister to me.

She sits down beside me. “Go to bed, Tom. Reece is a tough girl, and you know it. She’ll pull through even without you exhausting yourself like that.” I look again at the woman on the bed. She’s pretty small, and in the big hospital bed she looks frail. The copper hair makes her face seem even paler and the circles under her eyes even darker than they actually are.

“As much as I normally agree with you, this time I don’t. Reece is anything but a tough girl. C’mon, Germs, you and I both know that she’s not born to be an officer, that she shouldn’t be here.” Uh-oh. Laura’s dark eyes light up and get this fierce glance they always get when she becomes agitated.

“Macho bullshit. I’ve told you before and I’ll tell again. There’s more to Maureen Reece than meets the eye. Granted, she’ll need some time but I’m sure she’ll develop just fine. But only if you let her.” She gives a slight huff. Laura usually doesn’t get angry all too fast but when it’s about woman soldiers and everything that’s connected with it you can get her up a soap box pretty fast.

“Germs…” She glares at me.

“Don’t you “Germs…” me. That one,” she points to Reece, “is a fighter. She just doesn’t know it yet.” I’m still not convinced. I’ve seen Reece’s files, and that girl’s never been in combat before joining the SGC. They sent her here right after graduating OCS, because of her linguistic degrees and abilities, I guess. There’s nothing else indicating she could be fit enough to serve with us. No extraordinary combat scores, no especially high marks in leadership – everything average.

I still haven’t found out why they decided to place her with a covert ops unit instead of a research or back-up unit. Why they placed her in any team at all. “I can see your thoughts working again, Tom. Quit it already. Besides, it wasn’t your fault she got hit. If it you want to blame someone, blame that guy with knife that sneaked up on her. Or O’Neill for ordering us to that stupid planet. Or those idiots at intelligence who fucked up those mission specs. Just don’t blame yourself. And go get some sleep.” With the she pads my shoulder and gets up again, tossing me one last salute before she leaves for her quarters.

I turn back to Reece again. She’s not only the youngest and most inexperienced member of the team but also the last one who came to the team. Laura and I, we know each other since early childhood, and I’ve served with Dee, or Master Sergeant Simon DeLisle for a seeming eternity now, even before the SGC. In fact he came here with me.

I can’t think of anyone more skilled with everything that has to do with blowing up things than him. Then again, I don’t know _that_ much of people. Anyway, Reece had the bad luck to come to a unit which had already formed strong bonds with each other, and I guess for someone with her personality it’s not easy making a stand. I do cut her some slack because of this, no matter what Laura says. But I wish the woman would open up finally and stop building all those walls around her. I wish…

”Sir, I have orders from Captain Greenspan. You are to leave and catch up on sleep. Lieutenant Reece will be taken care of,” a voice behind me says. It’s one of the nurses. Damn Laura who always uses her right as a medical officer to order me around even if I outrank her.

Defeated I nod. “It’s all right. But notify me if anything in the Lieutenant’s condition changes.” The nurse nods, and I finally make my way to my sleeping quarters.


	2. Chapter 2

_Greenspan_ _  
_

I should have know that he’d not rest as long as I wanted him to. Tom’s one of those officers that place the wellbeing of their subordinates higher than their own. Normally a really noble trait but not if it means that he neglects sleeping, eating and any other basic needs when he sits at the bedside of one of us because he thinks himself guilty of what happened. Whatever caused this trait to appear, it must’ve happened in his time with in Black Ops, the only time in our lives one of us didn’t know what the other was doing.

I remember just getting started with my First Class year at the Academy when he suddenly disappeared from my radar. Okay, so it wasn’t _really_ “suddenly” but instead of the usual mail of at least one page I got a note saying “Will be away for some time. Don’t try to call me. Will call you when I’m back.” one day and then I heard nothing from him for over a year. I’m still not quite okay with that since First Class year was my toughest year at the Academy and I _really_ missed him at graduation.

Yes, okay, he told me how proud he was of me when he got to hear my results through the grapevine when we finally saw each other again at the SGC but him being actually _there_ would have been better than anything else. All right, so I sound like spoiled brat. So what? I don’t care, because Thomas Moore has been like a big brother for me for my whole life. I wouldn’t have been more agitated and in a snit than if one of my biological brothers had left me alone in one of my most trying times or had missed my graduation.

Anyway, I got my chance to pay him back when we suddenly found ourselves on the same top-secret government project base, the SGC, which was two years after my graduation. I had been transferred there because of my virology stuff, and he because of his outstanding results as an officer with Black Ops. But before he could tell me that, I ignored him for a whole two weeks. Since then he’s never done anything like that again.

Anyway, he was changed after the time we had been apart. Quieter, keeping more to himself, bringing more distance between him and people. The full extent of this became obvious after our first mission gone awry. We had been on the same team for three missions when the fourth went down the drain. _Nothing_ worked, and we lost a man. I know Tom inside out so I knew the whole ordeal had taken its toll to him.

But instead of coming to talk to me like he used to do before transferring to Black Ops, he just kept to himself, telling me everything was fine when both of us knew it was anything but. It was the first time I pulled rank as a medical officer on him and had him confined to the infirmary until at least his physical wounds were completely healed.

Things kept happening that way but at least we didn’t lose a man again until a few months ago when we lost our linguist. Then we got Reece as a substitute for the lost linguist, and ever since then he’s been constantly criticizing the poor girl. If he’d just give her a chance he’d see that Reece is as good a soldier as him or me. But that’s typical him, demanding everything he can accomplish from others, _exactly_ in the way and amount he can do it. If he’d just let go of that one thing, he’d make not only a good commanding officer but an _outstanding_ commanding officer.

“Laura, Reece just woke up. Time for debriefing!” I roll my eyes at the yell he throws at me.

Annoyed I glare back and say, “Darn it, can’t a girl sit in the mess hall undisturbed for a few minutes? At least let me finish that coffee. And give Reece time to wake up properly before your drag her into the briefing room!”

He comes over to my table, cocking and eyebrow at me. “Who said anything about briefing room? Infirmary’s the word.”

Okay, now he’s gone too far. “No. And I don’t say this as your friend but as a medical officer. No debriefing as long as Reece is in the infirmary. For the love of God, _stop_ stressing that girl. And don’t give me that “She’s a Marine, she can handle it.” crap. She took a serious hit, you let her recover. If you need something to do then let’s go get some exercise. I’ll even pose as your dummy. But let Reece be in peace just for once.”

Tom’s eyes have grown larger and larger. Obviously he isn’t used to this side of me anymore. Then a grin slowly spreads over his face. “All right… just for once. But don’t whine about the bruises. You volunteered, remember that.” Phew, for a second I thought _I_ had gone too far. It’s good to know that not all of our lifelong friendship went out of the window because of Tom’s years with Black Ops.

Jogging away from me he throws a “You coming or what?” over his shoulder and I grin, joining him in jogging.


	3. Chapter 3

_DeLisle_

“Dee, debriefing in 15 minutes,” I hear Major Moore calling from the hallway outside my lab. Dammit, I was in the middle of an experiment here… “Dee!” Argh. He’s coming in. “Don’t tell me you were working on that stuff again.”

Without looking up from the chemical sample I reply, “As you can see, sir, yes, I was.” The Major sits down and starts fiddling with one of my other samples. One that has a big, fat “Don’t touch”-label on it. “Sir… if I were you, I’d put that one done as fast and as careful as I could because…” And with that the sample goes of and leaves behind a broken Petri dish, a lot of smoke and a flustered and coughing Major.

“Don’t you dare saying “I told you so.” And that’s an order.” I try to hide my amusement and keep from snickering. At which I fail just slightly.

“Yes, sir.”

“Anyway…” he gets up again, “finish what you were doing and come to the briefing room. And take Laura… Captain Greenspan with you, will you? She’s down in her lab working on some bio-samples we brought back from the pre-last mission or so she told me. Anyway, you are both research-aholics; you know how to drag her out of the lab.”

I just toss him a “Yes, sir,” and start cleaning up what I had been working at. I jut hope the debriefing won’t take more than one hour because if I’m not back by then and stirring the stuff I will have to prepare the whole compound again.

When I arrive at Laura… Captain Greenspan’s lab, I see her sitting at her computer, analyzing pictures that look like those being shot by an electron microscope. Standing behind her, I tip her shoulder and say “Ma’am?” at which she jerks a little and turns around.

“Geez, Dee, you really gave me a scare here.” I clear my throat. I should have known that she would be totally absorbed with her work, just as I am when I’m doing my explosives research.

“Sorry, ma’am.”

She wrinkles her nose. “And for heaven’s sake, stop calling me “ma’am.” It’s Laura, how often do I have to tell you that?”

I like that about her, trying to treat as if we were all equal. But she can try as much as she wants to, there just are some things you don’t get to change, as I tell her, “I’m… Ma’am, I’m not really used to calling superior officers by their first names. It would violate the code of an USAF NCO because it would mean showing disrespect to a superior officer. I’d rather… stick with “ma’am” and “sir”, if you please. Ma’am.”

The Captain cocks her head to own side and scrunches her nose. That’s normally a sign that she’s thinking seriously about something. “Then I order you to call me Laura from now on. We’ve been on the same team for quite some time now, and you don’t contribute less than me to its performance. So just stop hiding behind your NCO-training and start acting like the emancipated member you deserve to be. Agreed?” Argh. Why did she have to make that an order? She’s using my own code of behavior against me. There’s no way I can get out of this now.

“I… yes. Laura.”

She gives me a satisfied grin. “But you’re not here to have a nice conversation about the right form of address, right?” Dammit, I’d almost had forgotten the Major’s orders. I should really stop this tendency to get sidetracked when talking to the Cap… Laura.

“Errr, no. Major Moore ordered me to “drag you out of his lab” because we are both “research-aholics”, as he put it, because he wanted us to come to debriefing.” She nods.

“All right. Let me just save this data here and shut down the computer, then I’ll come with you.”

While she’s busy saving her stuff and shutting down the equipment to sleep-mode, I get to observe her. She’s a woman in her early thirties, late twenties maybe. I never got round to get her exact age. Her sandy-brown hair is kept short just so long as Air Force standards allow without having to pin it up, and she is constantly tucking it behind her ear or fiddling with it when she thinks no one is looking at her. But I do. A lot.

I know I shouldn’t because she’s a fellow officer and a superior at that and most presumably she’s not seeing me as anything else than a team member. And, what is more important, never will see me as something else, also. She’s one or those “one of the guys”-women who just get along very well with men and have no idea what they are doing to the men around them. I think it comes from growing up with her brothers since I got to find out from listening to one of those camp fire stories we share when we are sitting on a planet and have to stay for the night that she has three brothers, all older than she is.

Which means that she is, as far as I know, the only one of us that has any significant family ties left on earth. The Major never talks about anything like that, and Reece once briefly told us at a camp fire that she was an only child, with her parents having died a couple years ago or something. And me… I grew up in an orphanage and various foster homes and never got to know my real parents. End of story.

“You going to stand around here for another ten minutes, Dee?”

Shaken from my thoughts I briefly close my eyes and answer, “Of course not. The Major would hate if I had you let wander the corridors on your own, without my protection.” I smirk. I really should stop those stupid attempts and flirting because she doesn’t even…

“Protection, Master Sergeant? Why, of course, you are right. A girl shouldn’t be wandering the halls around her alone. After all, there could always be a Goa’uld or replicator jumping right out of the next door. So… lead on, big protector.”

With she gives me a smile and a wink. All right. So much for “not noticing”. I just hope she doesn’t see the embarrassment creeping up into my face as we make our way to the briefing room.


	4. Chapter 4

_Reece_

I know what they think. I know that Major Moore thinks I’m a complete failure as soldier, I know that Laura thinks that somewhere inside me there is a soldier waiting just to be called out, and I know that Dee thinks I’m a nice girl, even for a Marine. I can see it in the Major’s eyes when he’s giving his account of what happened on P4X-639 and throwing sideway glances at me. His gray eyes tell me very clearly that he thinks what happened was at least partly my fault. And I can’t even blame him because he’s right.

I should have noticed that guy with the knife creeping up behind me. But I let myself fall for one of the oldest tricks in history; the “Look, there’s a monster with three heads to your left!”-trick. All right, so that wasn’t exactly what that treacherous bastard of a local told me but you get the picture, right? Right. I got it the same moment I felt a blade protruding my left shoulder.

I can’t quite remember what came then but the crude mess of memories in my head tells me that all hell broke lose as the Major fired at my attacker with his P90, Laura rushed through the crossfire toward me and Dee started methodically firing into the dark forest. And after that there is only blackness until I woke up yesterday in the infirmary of the SGC. You see, I _am_ the failure Major Moore sees in me.

“Lieutenant Reece?” It’s General O’Neill’s voice that cuts short my string of thoughts. Damn it, been drifting off at a debriefing _again_.

“Errr… yes, sir?” The Major looks at me, contempt at my inability to stay focused on a meeting very clear in his eyes.

“General O’Neill asked you if you had anything to add.” Why should I? He laid out how I failed. Anything I would have said would just appear as a feeble attempt to play it down. Nobody would believe me anyway.

“No, sir. Nothing to add, sir.” O’Neill cocks an eyebrow.

“You sure, Lieutenant? Captain Greenspan contradicts the Major’s judgment of how you handled the situation. As does the Sergeant. I’d be very interested in _your_ judgment.” Why does he have to do that? Isn’t it enough that Major Moore told him I’m a failure? Why do I have to embarrass myself again in front of the whole team?

“I’m… I have to agree with Major Moore, sir. My failure was that I didn’t pay enough attention to my surroundings, and that I let myself have my attention diverted by a trick that was even age-old at the time the Goa’uld came about.” Dear me, the only thing missing now is “I’m a disgrace to the Corps, sir”, but I’m sure Major Moore will add that gladly to his written mission report.

Instead of asking again, O’Neill just raises his eyebrow again and says, “Right. Just don’t get stabbed on your next mission, Reece. Does anyone else want to add anything?” Everyone is shaking their heads. “All right. Dismissed. No… wait. Everyone but Major Moore is dismissed. And everyone is on down time for the rest of the week.” Great. Four days of research time. There’s this absolutely exciting… “And when I say down time, I _mean_ down time. No research, for anyone of you. No germs for you, Greenspan, no hieroglyphs for you, Reece, and no C4 for you, DeLisle. If I see anyone of you in any of the SGC’s facilities that are not for recreational uses I’ll ban you from the lab-section until the end of down time personally. Am I understood?” Laura looks like she’s going to strangle the General, and Dee looks like he just had a very clear idea of who he is blowing up next. And me, I have a string of curses in at least ten different languages the length of the Mississippi River going through my head.

But all of us just nod and say “Yes, sir,” in unison.

He waves us out, and when we are in the corridor again, Laura says, “Bloody bastard of a…” but I cut her off, saying, “Capt… Laura, he’s still the base commander, I don’t think it would be wise to…”

She knits her eyebrows in a frown, then suddenly smiles and answers, “Oh, I wasn’t talking about the General.”

“Then who…”

“I think, the Captain meant Major Moore,” Dee cuts in and Laura nods.

“Oh,” is all I can say and both of them chuckle lightly at me. What private joke did I miss this time, huh?

Laura is leading us to the mess hall as she explains it to me, “He’s been way too harsh on you. No, I don’t want to hear it. You made a mistake any of us could have made. None of us would have had the ears sharp enough to hear that guy coming over the prattling of that fake guide. We would all have fallen for it.”

I shake my head and say a little too obstinate for my own taste, “The Major wouldn’t.”

A little, sad smile flies over Laura’s face before she answers in her usual casual way, “Maureen, Tom’s had three years of Black Ops training and routine. He was on missions which reports will be classified for at least another ten years, even for us. You can’t compare yourself to that.” All right, I knew that in the end _everyone_ would think me a failure. I’m not very far away from the point I’ll all tell them how sick I am of them having to tell me over and over again.

Come to think of it, this _is_ the point where I’m sick of it. “I _know_ that, all right? You don’t have to tell me over and over again how much of a failure I am. Major Moore said enough back there in the briefing room. I know I’ll never be the soldier the team needs me to be. It’s not my fault, I got here, all right? I got _ordered_ here. I was just a replacement, I’m not meant to be a permanent member. I can put in a request for an immediate transfer if that’s what you want. And maybe I don’t have to do that, maybe it’s what O’Neill wanted to talk about with the Major.”

Dear me…I’m not… usually I’m not the kind of people that tend to go off on an little thing, and… Christ, this is so embarrassing. Laura and Dee are standing there and staring and… and then Laura says very quietly, “Are you done, Maureen?”

Oh good God, now there will be insubordination added to my file as well. “I… I’m sorry, I just… I have to…” And I do the only thing seeming possible right now. I try to run.

Well, _try_ to being the operative word here, because Laura’s hand on my shoulder very firmly stops me and turns me around. “Why haven’t you told us how you feel about the way Tom treats you?”

Ack, she’s in her concerned-friend-mode. Combine that with the fact that she takes her duty as our team medic _very_ serious, and there’s practically no way to escape her. “I… didn’t… I thought…” I look at Dee for help but he seems as interested as Laura. I should have known. Dee has taken it upon himself to be some kind of older brother for me. But dammit, I don’t need a concerned friend or an older brother.

“Come on, I think we need to go somewhere a little more private.”, Laura says, and in an instant I’m her and Dee’s captive. She’s changed the direction of the walk from cafeteria to… her base quarters, obviously. There’s one thing you have to admire about Laura: she’s truly an officer, a natural leader. She gives orders, people follow. As easy as this.

And Dee… well, Dee would follow her even without orders. Everyone with just a little observation skill can see that he’s head over heels for her. It’s in the way he looks at her when he thinks no one else is watching or in the way he tries to make her laugh constantly or in the way… All right, you got my meaning, right? Anyway, he could do worse, I suppose.

I think he just has to make the right move at the right time and at the right place and Laura would be all over him. As we walk towards her quarters, she’s fiddling with her hair and giving Dee smiles and everything. I’d bet a month’s salary on the fact that she has it as bad as Dee. I wonder if the Major has seen any of that. And how he’d react if he knew what goes through the heads of both of them.

“Come in, both of you.” She opens a door and gestures for us to get in. Ever the gentleman and NCO, Dee tells me to go in first and then follows. Laura is the last and as she closes the doors, she tells us to sit at the bed. I take a look around and I hope it doesn’t look like prying but I always thought that people’s rooms show a bit of how they are, too.

Laura seems to be a real family girl, because there are a lot of pictures of her with a some men or boys that must be the brothers she told us about when we were on a mission. And she appears to be a very sporting person, seeing as there are some medals on the wall.

“Alright, Maureen, now tell us. Why didn’t you say anything about the way Tom treated you for the last three months?” Ack. Psychiatrist voice again. Dammit, Laura, your call sign is “Germs”, not “Shrink” or “Nuts”, you’re a virologist. I look at Dee, and he gestures me to go on, saying, “You know what I think about you. You won’t change that by talking about one of my superiors. And you know I wouldn’t give away anything of this to him.”

They both look at me expectantly again, and Laura comes to sit beside me, putting a hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly, saying, “I know you were trained to keep quiet about pain or irritation, be it physical or psychic. And to follow and respect your commanding officer, no matter what. We were trained the same way. But this is different, Maureen. We are a team, highly dependent on each other. And because we are such a small team, if there’s something wrong with one of us, the rest is affected as well. Come on, both me and Dee have seen Tom being unnecessary hard on you at times, but we never did anything because you put on your “Brave little Marine”-face and shut us all out, giving as the impression that none of this affected you. Now, _stop_ being a brave little Marine and be _Maureen_.” I swallow. And suddenly a dam inside me breaks, and I start spilling it out. And dammit, I’m starting to cry.

“I… I don’t belong to the team, I don’t belong _here_. I was supposed to be transferred to the Pentagon and work as a translator for them, and then suddenly my CO comes to me and hands me the orders to Cheyenne Mountain and I think “Cheyenne Mountain? Where the hell is that?” and I get shipped off to here and then I see that it’s an Air Force base and… and then all those introduction talks and the top secret stuff and… You see, I never believed in those UFO sightings and in Area 51 and all that stuff and suddenly I’m told that I’m part of a Covert Ops team that retrieves artifacts and prisoners from foreign _planets_ and hunts down rogue soldiers and all this stuff. And… and then the Major who doesn’t ever set his foot on the wrong path, and you as a brilliant doctor and a poster girl soldier and Dee with his explosives… and all _I_ can do is talk. I… I only wanted to get my Masters degree and probably my doctorate in languages and work for the Pentagon and then start working as a civilian again. I never wanted anything of this.”

Suddenly I feel Laura’s arms encircle me and pulling me into her embrace. “Hey… It’s okay, Maureen. I understand. I really do.” I want to say something but I choke on my tears. I never wanted them to know all of this. Now they will think I was a fool for signing up for the Marines, naively thinking I would be a translator in uniform but not a _soldier_. I pry myself lose from Laura’s embrace.

“I know you think I’m an idiot. But I’m not. Really, I… I _knew_  I would have to deploy at some point, to Afghanistan or Iraq or Yugoslavia. I was okay with that. Really. But not… not with the kind of missions we have to deal with. I’m not a born soldier like you or the Major. I still tremble before pulling the trigger, every damn time, I have to do it. I just try to do my duty, but I just… I don’t…”

 

Dee, who is sitting on my other side, puts his hand on my shoulder. “We know, Lieutenant. You’ve just been through OSC, no one expects you to have the reflexes and the routine of a veteran soldier.”

“Maybe _you_ don’t expect me to have it, but the Major sure does,” I reply a little bitterly.

Laura sighs. “Yes, he does. But having the most combat experience from all of us doesn’t make him infallible. I’ve known him for all my life, and he’s always been like that, expecting everything he knows and is capable of from others, no regard to how old or how experienced they are. Really, he _is_ a great guy, but he can be a bit thick at times. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about.” She grins, and somehow it’s infecting because a little grin is crossing my face as well.

“It’s just… I… I have the feeling that I will never be a real part of the team. You are a biology genius, and Dee is a wizard with explosives, and the Major is… well, the Major, but me… I’m… I’m just good at talking. I’m not even a good shooter or good at infiltrating or… I just… I feel so inadequate, so useless.”

Laura smiles. “You aren’t. Remember that mission where we had to get SG4 out of trouble? It was your skill with languages and diplomacy and your observation skills that saved our hides in the end. If you hadn’t kept playing the innocent girl and had kept that woman talking we would have never been able to sneak past her and break into the cells. We wouldn’t even have found them.”

Good grief, yes, I remember that mission. I can still feel the drops of sweat running down my spine and go my hands wet and the muscles in my back knit tight because of all the apprehension and tension I felt. “Yes, well, _we_ remember that one. But the Major doesn’t.” Laura smirks, and Dee snorts.

“Then we’ll have to remind him,” she deadpans, and I have to laugh in spite of myself.

“I somehow have the feeling he won’t listen to that,” I retort half-heartedly and Dee claps my back.

“Oh, we have our ways…” and he winks at Laura. Geez, people, get a room!

Anyway, Laura just smiles and says, “Yes, but not now. We are on downtime and I think it’s some time for some team quality time. What are your plans for the evening, guys?” And with that it’s settled. Team quality time, alright.


	5. Chapter 5

  _Moore_

If anyone ever again tells me that General O’Neill is such a nice and comfortable guy to be with, I’ll personally strangle them to death. Really, I will. That was one hell of a lecture he gave me. When he sent the others out of the room, I thought he wanted to talk about some detail of my report or something like that, but what followed was a fucking dressing down. And all because of the way I treat Lieutenant Reece.

All right, so I do treat her differently than the others. But I _don’t_ give her a “fucking hard time” or “dress her down constantly” or “make it impossible for her to become integrated into the team”. I just treat her like a commanding officer treats a junior officer. She had no combat experience prior to joining the SGC, and she needs a _lot_ of training. I just try to give it to her. And I _don’t_ have “exaggerated expectations”; I expect her to be a _Marine_ , nothing more and certainly nothing less, and what she’s displaying at the moment is not what I’d call a Marine.

I mean, alright, she is so punctual it’s almost painful, and she’s intelligent. She’s working very hard, when we’re on base duty. Okay, even when we’re _off-duty_ ; at least when O’Neill doesn’t order her to do something other than sitting in the lab and translating her hieroglyphs or trying to decipher Ancient texts or whatever she and those other language geeks are doing in their labs. And yes, she’s one of the fittest girls I ever met.

When I saw her the first time, I seriously doubted that the small and delicate woman before me was fit enough to carry her equipment vest, backpack, Beretta, P90, communication equipment and everything else needed on missions with her. But from the first day on in the field she never uttered one complaint about it being too heavy or us being too fast or of being tired… If I’m honest… she doesn’t speak much _at all_. I mean, for being a linguist and all she sure is awfully quiet most of the time. She didn’t even scream when being stabbed from behind or being shot at on our pre-last mission.

I pause in my attempt to beat the crap out of the punching bag. What am I thinking? I try to tell myself that O’Neill gave me a hell of an unjustified spanking and start numerating Reece’s advantages? D’uh… I think, I’m in for another round of boxing…

No, maybe I’m not, as there’s someone in the operations room bellowing out over the base-wide PA system, “All on-base members of SG-10, immediately report to the briefing room. Repeat: all on-base members of SG-10, immediately report to the briefing room.” Dammit, not even 24 hours of down-time and they what? Lose a precious artifact? Let one of the geek teams loose without some military chaperons so they can get themselves captured by some alien race? What?

Grumbling, I pack up my stuff and head to the briefing room. Not my fault that now everyone has the great opportunity to see me running half-naked through the SGC’s hallways.

_Reece_

All right, I have to admit, Major Moore in nothing but his skivvies and a towel around his neck _is_ a sight to see. You don’t get to see a body like this every other day, even around here, what with all the well-trained SFs and Marines. But anyway, I ain’t here for making googly-eyes at the Major. I’m here for General O’Neill’s briefing.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I know that at the moment your are all probably thinking of a slow and painful death for me, for calling you back on an emergency. But such is military life, and this _is_ an emergency.” Did I hear the Major mumble something about clumsy scientists that need baby sitting 24/7? “I heard that, Major Moore, and I’m sure your own scientists would be just too happy to know your sentiments about them.” Yes, I _definitely_ heard Moore grumble that stuff. Maybe I should attribute this slip of tongue to extensive loss of water since he is glistening with sweat all over… Uh-oh, will not fantasize about my CO who thinks of me as a complete failure; will not fantasize about my CO who thinks of me as a complete failure; will not fantasize about my CO who thinks of me as a complete failure…

“Have you been listening those past moments, Lieutenant Reece?” Errr, have I?

“Errr… no, sir. Sorry, sir. Won’t happen again, sir.” Goddammit, why am I such a bad liar? I’m so bad with lying that I don’t even _try_ to.

But luckily O’Neill just nods and continues, “Right. Anyway, while you’ve been trying to enjoy your down time, SG-12 came back from their mission to P9X-155. And they brought back some very interesting information.After looking at what they found there, it looks like the planet has become a junk heap for some interesting things.It seems that the bio-weapons lab we have been searching for is finally found. Captain Greenspan, you read the report on the spare parts, right?”

Laura nods. “Yes, sir. I can only confirm what the analysts already found out. The parts listed here are significant parts for a stationary biological warfare lab.”

Dee raises his hand and speaks up, encouraged by O’Neill, “Sir, if I may add… the chemical traces they have found on P9X-155 indicate that they were also transporting some kind of explosives. I think we have to include the possibility of biological bombs into our plan.”

O’Neill nods, his face grave. “I agree, Sergeant.” And then everyone is looking at me. I’m already blushing heavilyand curse my typical pale red-head complexion for the n-th time. What the heck do they want from me? I’m just a linguist. I _talk_. “Anything to add, Lieutenant?” O’Neill asks and raises an eyebrow.

“Err… n-no, sir. I’m just… waiting for my part in the mission.” I catch a short glimpse at Moore and see him furrow his brow and wrinkle his forehead in a frown as deep as the Grand Canyon. And I can see the same thing happening in O’Neill’s head. Great.

“Yes… we’ll come to that. In fact, you’ll be playing a big part in the whole mission.” Oh dear, not _again_. The last time I had to play a “big part” in some mission I screwed up way _beyond_ royally. “Since we don’t have enough teams to spare to go barging in full force, we’ll use you as an infiltration team. You’ll be outfitted as Marines, and pretending to have defected just recently. And this is where you come in, Lieutenant Reece. Since you’re the only real Marine on this teams you’ll be given the task of briefing the members of your team in Marine vocabulary, conduct of behavior, blahblahblah, the whole hullaballoo. You got two days. Think you can handle that, Lieutenant?”

I gulp. Normally, I’d have no problem with teaching; I even thought about becoming a teacher after my time with the Marines. No, it’s the “talking like a Marine, walking like a Marine”-thing. Alright being a linguist, I know how to distinguish talking habits, accents, all this stuff, and I can easily imitate them. And my sociology minor surely helped in being able to observe behavior and reproduce it correctly. But since my first day in the service, I was told that I wasn’t a proper Marine, and that I would never be one. I just…

“Lieutenant?” Fine. I clear my throat and take a short look around. The Major shakes his head, just barely noticeable, but I could still see it. Laura raises an eyebrow, as if to say “Well, here’s your chance.” while Dee nods encouragingly. Right. My chance. To prove the Major wrong. Maybe there will never be a better one.

“Yes, sir. Of course, sir. Teaching my team to be Marines. I can do that.” Is that a self-satisfied smirk I see on the General’s face

“Great. See you again in two days, 0600. Dismissed.”


	6. Chapter 6

_Dee_

I was surprised. Two days ago, Reece had still been her usual un-Marine self, but over the last two days she turned into something actually resembling a typical Marine. Determined, to the point, at times even rigid and gruff. The more we progressed in the lessons, the more she grew into a Marine. After one and half days I noticed that Reece _does_ have leadership qualities, only not when she isn’t the one in charge. As soon as she had to take over she developed impressive skills. Wonder if the Major saw that, too.

Now the two days are over, and once again we are standing in front of the ‘Gate, this time all of us wearing Marine Corps BDUs It feels a bit… off. I’m Air Force through and through, and wearing Marine uniforms… For a second I catch Laura’s eye, and she gives me a little reassuring smile. Huh?

Before I can start thinking about whatever prompted that, the ‘Gate whooshes open, and there’s the go from control. On the Major’s signal we step forward, and suddenly, shortly before finally stepping through I feel a feather-light touch on my left hand. Right were Laura is standing beside me… Suddenly there’s only the sensation of traveling from one planet to another at light speed.

And then I stumble and for a second I feel disoriented, like after every ‘Gate-travel. Then I get a clear view of my surroundings. We are standing in the midst of miles and miles of hip-length grass swaying in a light breeze. It looks like the plains back home.

“Okay, people, we are supposed to walk five miles south. Get going,” the Major orders, and the group forms up with the Major in front, Laura behind him, then me and Reece in the rear. For at least two miles there’s nothing but swaying grass and gentle hills, but then there’s some kind of building right in front of us. Coming closer it looks like some abandoned ruins.

The Major is about to order us to continue when Reece murmurs something like, “Now, _that’s_ strange.” He gives her one of those looks full of contempt he usually reserves for civilian scientists.

“What’s so strange about a pile of rubble, Lieutenant?” Reece pretends not to hear the undertones of contempt and arrogance in the Major’s voice, but I’m pretty sure she did notice them.

“It looks like someone was here just recently.” The Major cocks his eyebrow, and I catch a short glimpse at Laura. The look she throws me says very clearly, “Get the popcorn, this is going to be one hell of a show.”

“Someone was here? How can you tell that, Mouse?” He’s deliberately using her call sign to shake her self-assurance. Bastard.

“See those light traces over there? The rocks have been moved, and that lighter color is showing because that part of the stones were not exposed to the weather for a long time.” Impressive. The change of her personality we witnessed during those last two days is still enduring.

The Major says nothing but walks forward to the rocks, all the time moving very carefully and slowly. He’s expecting booby traps. So I _did_ teach him at least _something_. Crouching down before the stones in question he examines them closer. He really didn’t have to do that.

“You’re right. Here are more traces of people moving through. Very easy to spot. Anyone else get a bad feeling?” Was that sarcasm I heard in his last sentence?

“Sir, with all due respect… I think there’s strong evidence we should take this serious.” Oh God, that look on the Major’s face… priceless. Next to me I hear a choked sound, like Laura trying to force back a laugh. I absolutely agree. Until now Reece _never_ spoke up against the Major, never ever questioned his decisions. Seeing how he reacts to the first time ever… a classic. I really should take a camera with me for occasions like these.

“And… why is that, Lieutenant?” He still hasn’t fully recovered from hearing his timid linguist sound like an actual soldier.

“Because… because it looks like those people were carrying heavy equipment with them, sir. This here looks exactly like someone dragged something very heavy.” She points to a groove on the ground which is paralleled by another. The look on her face says very clearly “Yes, they _do_ teach us things like these down in Camp LeJeune. And yes, I _did_ listen to them,” and the Major looks about to explode. Well, who wouldn’t if they were in his position? First he gets a crash course in Marine behavior where his linguist turns out to be a soldier after all, then he gets forced to wear Marine BDUs and now said linguist is practically doing his job for him.

“As much as you don’t like it, Tom, she’s right. The tracks do look suspicious. And they are leading towards the ruins. I say we take a look at them. Guess that overrules you.” Ah, so Laura decided to back up Reece a little. I bet the Major’s not liking it the least.

“Since when is this a democracy? I’m the one in charge here and I…”

“Should better listen to us. There’s something strange about the tracks, and we should have a look.” Laura makes her “Don’t mess with me, Thomas Moore.” face. It usually works with him, but usually she’s not openly questioning his authority when she’s wearing it.

He says nothing, instead turns around. To face me. Together with the women. What the…? “Well, Sergeant, you want to place your vote, too?” Uh-oh. I know that tone. He's seriously pissed off by now. He's gonna _kill_ me if I agree with the women. Which would make no real difference since _they_ look about to kill me if I agree with him. _Dammit_. Always the NCO-guy, isn't it?

“Sir… with all due respect…” ah, I just signed my own death sentence, “I think, Lieutenant Reece is right.” One… two… three…

“Okay. Who are you? And what have you done to my team?” Oh. That face. Priceless. Laura’s on the verge of bursting out laughing again, and even Reece is showing signs of an actual smile on her face. And I mean, who wouldn’t think the slightly paranoid expression on the Major’s face absolutely funny?

“Tom… stop being ridiculous,” Laura says matter-of-factly after getting herself enough under control to speak without occasional bouts of laughing. Everyone’s now looking at the Major. If you look close enough, you can see that his mind is working at high speed. To the inexperienced it just looks like the Major’s usual stoic face, but someone who knows him longer can see very clearly that he’s feverishly trying to make a decision.

“Alright, people… we’re gonna get in there, break by pairs and methodically search the compound. Reece, you’re with me,” the Lieutenant doesn’t look what I would call happy, to say the least, “which leaves Laura and Dee as the second pair. Now, get going, you have ten minutes.”

_Greenspan_

I knew he’d decide that way. Just fractions before he spoke up again, I saw that little twitch in his hand and the tighter grip on the P90, and I knew we had won.

Now he and Reece have stalked off, leaving me and Dee to search through the other half of the ruins. When we’re climbing over the broken walls, he’s constantly checking for hidden booby traps. And trying to make conversation. “Poor Reece. Why’d he take her, of all people?”

I shrug, trying to find tracks like those outside and answer him, “To keep her on a short leash. She scared the living daylights out of him, speaking up like that.” I still can’t fully ban the sniggering out of my voice. I mean, it _was_ kinda funny seeing Reece go toe to toe with Tom. I knew the girl had it in her.

“Well, it surely was a sight to see. Wait, let me check that before you go there.” He bends down to examine a suspicious looking piece of dirt in front of my left foot. Hm, nice rear you have there, Sergeant. Oh, wait, I’m on a mission, and I’m clearly not supposed to ogle the resident NCO on it. Oh well, I’m not supposed to ogle the resident NCO _anywhere_. Tom would have my hide if he knew…

“Dammit.” That’s not what I like to hear on a mission.

“What?” Very carefully he clears the floor in front of us and leaves only a the piece of dirt in the middle. If that’s what I fear it is…

“Booby trap. Pretty skillfully hidden. That was a professional. I guess, we won’t have to walk those five miles after all.” Okay, that definitely deserves a “Dammit!”. I pull out my radio, but before I can use it, Dee grabs my hand. “I’d advice you not to. There could be traps around that react to that radio’s waves. We should go and find the Major and Reece as fast as possible.” Uh… he’s _still_ holding my hand. I guess, a short clearing of my throat should be hint enough. Well, or not.

“Right. Lead the way, Sergeant.” At the mentioning of his rank he pulls his hand back as if I burnt him or something. I knew that would work. Men are just too easy to read. I just hope he doesn’t take it personally, because it was purely self-preserving.

“Yes, ma’am.”

He leads us back the way we came, now silent. Maybe pulling rank was a bit too harsh. For a while we walk in silence, when suddenly I can hear Reece say, “Sir, I wouldn’t touch that… sir, really… Would you please…” and then the sound of two bodies and something wooden hitting the floor.

Dee and I look at each other, most probably with the same thought on our mind: you leave them on their own for two seconds and they’re wreaking the entire mission before it even really began. Mutually sighing, we make our way to where the voice came from.


	7. Chapter 7

_Reece_

Oh lucky me. But I had it coming, I guess. The Major didn’t like me speaking up against him,and now he wants to keep me on a short leash.

Really, he could have sent me away with Dee, or even with Laura, wouldn’t have been the first time. But _no_ , it had to be him. And now I’m stuck with Major Grumpy. Or rather Major Brooding in Silence, for that matter. Because, with the Major, there’s silence and Silence – and a hundred other ways to accentuate “silence”, I guess.

It’s the latter he’s now displaying. You know, the kind of silence that says more than a thousands words. He perfected the art of Brooding Silence, and he’s clearly giving me hell through it. It holds contempt and annoyance and… oh, okay, he’s giving me the Silent treatment.

“Reece?” Or maybe not. But still sounding like speaking to me ranked so low that it isn't even on his List Of Least Favorite Things To Do On A Mission anymore.

“Yes, sir?” Oh, that was good. I just sounded like the loser Marine he came to know.

“Be careful where you put your feet. I don’t want to have to clean your sorry bits and pieces out of my uniform later.” Geez, he sounds like I had just made the confession that _I_ blew up the Twin Towers. Really, there _are_ ways a lot more professional to say “Mind the eventual booby traps, Lieutenant Klutz.”

“Yes, sir.” That’s right, be the good little soldier that doesn’t question orders. Maybe then he’ll treat you like a human again. Oh no, wait, been there, done that. Didn’t work out.

Again, Silence. Walking over rubble, rocks, ruins… Oh, now _that’s_ strange.

We just entered what seems to have been a ceremonial chamber or something like that. There are a number of signs or letters lining the walls, appearing remotely like Ancient letters. I try to piece together what I can gather from the three months I had been able to study the language, but it doesn’t make any sense. Well, at first, that is. Then I remember our lessons about World Wars I and II and the Navajo code talkers and reading up on their language to see what made it so special, and it _does_ make sense.

I hear a sound to my right and see that the Major has found something. I walk over to him. “Sir?”

He holds up a simple wooden bowl, about the size of a standard mess dish. “Any clue what that could be, Reece?”

Hm… judging from the design and slightly withered look I’d say it belongs to the ruins rather than their recent inhabitants. The fragments on the wall that I could figure out with my rudimentary knowledge of Navajo come to mind.

“Actually… sir, I wouldn’t touch that…” He raises an eyebrow at me, clearly mocking me. God, if he’d listen to me, just for once. “Sir, really…” Now he's started to have a closer look at the thing. Okay, that’s enough. He doesn’t want to listen, he needs to feel. I grab the bowl, saying: “Would you please…” but before I can finish the sentence everything goes black.

_Moore_

“… everything stable… Tom, can you hear me? Tom?” Dear me, has Laura’s voice ever been loud enough to make me feel like someone’s driving a nail directly into my head before? “Tom? Oh, he’s coming around.”

I crack my eyes open, aiming at sitting up and telling her to shut the hell up, but the first two take up so much of my obviously not-so-great strength that I get stuck with sitting up and feeling dizzy.

And seeing Laura looming over my groaning body. What the…?

“Captain, Reece has just woken up,” Dee says right beside me and looks at me. Yeah, well, then someone should be checking up on her, right?

Laura looks up, throwing me a worried glance. “You okay, Maureen?” I turn around to check if Reece is somewhere behind me. I mean, why should Laura talk to Reece but look into my direction if she’s not behind me? “Hey, Maureen, can you hear me?” Why the fuck doesn’t Reece answer? And why is Dee shaking my shoulder and asking me if I understand him?

I clear my head, shaking it lightly, and a lock falls into my face. A bright fucking red lock. What the…?

“God, I _told_ him not to touch that stupid thing,” my own voice suddenly says from behind Laura and my own face is looking in dismal at me. I look down at my hands. Which aren’t mine exactly. Definitely. Because they are smaller and look distinctly feminine.

Oh crap.

Oh holy shit.

Oh. My. Fucking. God.

“If it’s any consolation, sir…” I look up again, this time seeing my own face smirking at me, “that’s exactly how I felt.” If I ever was close to fainting, it is right now.

“Well… I guess we have a situation here, folks,” Laura prompts in her usual dry voice. _That_ is the understatement of the century, I’d say.

“You could say that. What _exactly_ happened here? Lieutenant?” AAAAAAARGH! If seeing a red lock in my vision and feminine hands in front of my eyes was bad, then hearing myself speak in a voice that’s _definitely_ not mine is the ultimate fall-out.

“I’d say that when we both touched the bowl, something happened that made us change bodies. I hate to sound redundant, but I _did_ tell you to put it back. Sir.” This is just this side of weird. It’s my own voice I hear, but it has a distinct edge to it that makes it unmistakable… Reece-y. That’s whacko. Sick. Beyond any comprehension. I’m actually running out of words to describe how… weird this is.

“No, you actually…” Whoa. Do _I_ look like I’m ready to throw daggers when I’m annoyed and looking at other people or is that just another Reece-thing? “Yeah, alright, you _did_. But that’s not gonna solve the problem here. And seeing that we are now practically a democracy… any suggestions?”

“We should head back to the SGC and try to solve the thing with the Geek Squadron as you so much like to call them, sir.” Hey! That remark was meant _sarcastically_ , alright? It was _not_ an invite to take over the team, Reece. Either having to use that voice of hers has made _me_ lose my touch with commanding or using that voice of mine has made _her_ a lot more forward than usually. I really can’t say which is worse.

“Actually, he… she isn't that wrong, Tom. Dr. Jackson’s scientists are most probably the ones best qualified to help us… you.” What the fuck is happening here? Is this planet cursed or casting off some strange radiation or why is my authority going down the drain all of a sudden?

But the worst thing is: Reece is _right_. Jackson’s geeks _are_ our best chance. I’ve seen Reece and some other guys from that division working their magic before, and they _are_ good at what they do.

“Right. For once I agree with you, Lieutenant. So… back to the SGC, it is.”

~*~

TBC in [Chapter Eight](http://gelbes-gilatier.livejournal.com/276083.html).

 


	8. Chapter 8

  _Greenspan_

Okay, when I finally knew what the SGC was and had signed up for it, I had expected some situations _slightly_ stranger than what I was used to. But they never mentioned magic knickknacks that make people change their bodies. I mean, even if we were allowed to tell people outside the SGC and government about what we did on our missions, they just plain wouldn’t believe us _this_ one. Hell, I’m not even sure if _our_ people will believe us.  
   
If it wasn’t such a serious thing I’d be laughing out loud by now. Reece – no, screw that – Tom in Reece’s body is leading the group with a determined and slightly annoyed expression on her… his… whatever face, while Tom… Reece… BLOODY HELL!  
   
I look back, throwing a glance at Dee. Even he seems to be irritated by the whole body-switching thing, and that’s really saying something. Further back, the very male form of Tom is walking, only he’s totally lacking his usual brisk walk. Instead it’s more of a careful step-by-step, almost bordering on hesitating. It’s _definitely_ Reece. Oh dear.  
   
When he… she catches my eyes, I see a frustrated rolling of eyes cross his… her features. I try to give her an assuring smile and turn back to the front. In that moment Tom turns around, and on Maureen’s pretty face there’s a frown I can’t recall ever having seen before. I mean, I already _saw_ her frown, but… not like this.  
   
Good God, we _really_ gotta solve this situation, because I’m starting to feel dizzy with all this confusion and those totally unnerving appearances of traits I never associated with the respective body. I hear myself let out a sigh of relief when we finally reach the ‘Gate, and I’m almost 100% sure I just heard Dee make the same sound.  
   
Tom orders Dee to dial up the address, but just as he arrives at the DUD, the ‘Gate suddenly _whooshes_ open and a group of soldiers step through. I’ve never seen Reece getting defensive so fast before, nor have I seen Tom being so slow to react. Oh well, I mean their bodies, not their personalities. Ah, hell.  
   
Now there’s someone stepping through the event horizon. Oh, look who’s coming back to the scene of crime. A whole bunch of guys wearing slightly worn SGC Marine uniforms and carrying zat-guns and other non-USMC-reg weapons with them. Hooray, the target just arrived. Only that now we have other things to worry about.  
   
Or maybe not. A zat-gun is pointed at each of us, and one of the not-anymore-Marines speaks up, “Who are you, and what are you doing on our planet?” Well, they like it directly, I’d say.  
   
For a second or two, all of us are silent, but then a miracle happens: Reece – the one inside Tom’s body – clears her throat and comes out of her crouching position beside the DUD. She regards the one that is obviously the leader with a suspicious expression, holding her P90 on guard. “Your planet?” She lifts an eyebrow. Thank God those guys don’t know us. They’d immediately register that this isn't exactly Major Thomas Moore across from them.  
   
The leader, a heavy-set man in his late thirties, takes a step toward her, all the while pointing his zat-gun at her. “ _I_ ’m the one asking the questions here. Who are you, and what the hell are you doing here?”  
   
Reece is amazing. She looks completely unimpressed by the guns pointed at her or the absolute hostility in the man’s face. As if nothing from them could really touch her. Which is another minor miracle because I’m absolutely sure that inside she's feeling as miserable as hell. If – _when_ we survive this, and Tom doesn’t give her at least a recommendation, I’m personally going to give him the most humiliating post-mission check-up he ever had.  
   
“You know, what we really wanted was to get in touch with you guys, but since we got such a really warm welcome…” She shrugs, daring to turn around to us and saying, “What do you think, people? Do those guys deserve our enlightening company?”  
   
As if on cue, Tom is the first to answer. “But didn’t you say… we needed to meet them… sir?” Oh Lord, this day is full of miracles. First Reece speaking up against Tom, then Reece playing the cocky bastard and now Tom joining her improvised game.  
   
“Yeah, we did, Lieutenant. But really, people… is that how you would welcome a group of fellow Marines who recently defected from the SGC?”  
   
To be honest: even if I assured her that she was doing okay as an officer, I never thought she’d have _this_ in her. I mean, she’s not only pretending to be our commanding officer, she _is_ our CO. Which means that her subordinates should be answering her questions. But before I can say anything, the rogues’ leader speaks up again, “The SGC, huh? Old Hammond still in charge?”  
   
“None of your business. Now you’re gonna take us to someone with brains or not?”  
   
 _Moore_  
   
Wh… I want to walk up to her and smack her a good one. Does she even _know_ what she’s doing there? She’s got all our lives in her hands and she’s acting like she doesn’t care? If we ever get out of here alive, I’m so gonna kill her.  
   
I mean… Good _God_ , who _is_ that? Well, okay, in the last two days I had the privilege of watching Mousy Reece transform into something actually resembling a Marine, but I never expected her to be able to act like _that_. Good thing I’m a bit of an actor, too, or I would have never been able to grab the situation so fast and play her role. Feels strange though, seeing myself in cocky-bastard-CO-mode. Am I like that when being in the body I belong in?  
   
For a few moments it looks as if we’re all going to be zat-gun fodder. But instead of ordering his cronies to shoot us, the traitor Marine just gives all of us – especially the women – a taxing look and then says, “Fine. We’ll take you with us. But you’re not gonna meet any other people until we verified your personal data through our contacts.” He looks at his cronies, then gestures towards us, “Search them. If anyone carries something even only slightly resembling a bug, shoot them.”  
   
The other Marines step forward and start searching us. The one that comes to search me has a strange look on his face. It’s… some perverse form of lust. For a moment I’m about to taunt him with some sarcastic remark about his masculinity when his groping fingers remind me of the fact that the body I’m in is female. When he’s done with searching – or better groping and molesting me – and steps away I feel another wave of disgust well up. For maybe the very first time in my whole life I fully understand how a woman must feel when she has to endure all those small taunts and gropes we men so like to torture women with.  
   
I share a short look with Laura, and she just gives me a light shrug, obviously telling me “What did you expect? That’s _normal_ male behavior”, and suddenly I wonder how much of that she had to endure up to now. If I ever find out she had and at whose hands I’m personally gonna skin that guy alive.  
   
They’re obviously done with searching us, and are now covering our eyes with makeshift bandages. I just hope Reece remembers my advise about that and how to avoid being blinded completely. If she’s to play our leader, I want her to behave like one.  
   
After a few more moments I hear the ‘Gate _whoosh_ open again, and some guy grabs my arm and hauls me through.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of groping and unwanted touching.

_Reece_

God, it’s _freezing_. And I can’t even reach for my gloves because I’m pretty sure my every move is monitored. Besides, I’m supposed to be a tough guy. Tough guys don’t wear gloves. I know that because the Major never wears gloves. Might explain the crappy condition of the skin on his hands. When we’re back at the SGC I’m gonna force him to use some hand lotion. And I’m gonna force him to wear gloves as long as he’s in my body. I like my hands the way they are.

Anyway, it’s still freezing. And I can’t see a thing because even though I managed to scrunch my forehead enough to push up the band over my eyes enough to see at least the ground I’m walking, it’s still dark. Wind keeps tugging at the BDUs and cutting into every inch of exposed skin with razor sharp blades of cold. Why did these guys have to appear just before we could go home and resolve this stupid body-changing mess we’re in? And why did their supersecret lair have to be on a goddamned _ice_ planet?

Someone pushes me from behind and I managed not to stumble over my own legs, which is pretty difficult because they are so much longer than mine. But at least I’m on firm ground that isn't covered in snow again and the wind has stopped. Artificial light throws shadows on the floor. We’re obviously in some kind of building.

A rough hand yanks the bandage from my eyes, and I blink because the sudden impact of light doesn’t feel all too good. Immediately I take a look around me and thank God the moment I see all my team members are still with me. God knows what I would have done if they’d had separated us from each other.

The leader guy steps in front of me and says with a sneer, “Welcome to your new home, traitors. We’ll make it as cozy for you as we can. If you’ll please follow us?” He makes a mock bow and turns around, leading the way. Another push from behind tells me to move. After a walk through several hallways we stop at a door. The leader takes out a transponder and opens it. “Ladies, your room.” Another sneer, this time with a definite amount of lewdness. I shudder involuntarily when I remember the way his cronies groped Laura and the Major. I’ll never forget the weird feeling I got when seeing my own body being violated and not being able to do anything against it.

I nod towards Laura and the Major, saying, “Do what he says. I’m sure his men will keep us all safe.”, and throw a pointed look at the two guys who groped them. They only give me a challenging grin.

Then Dee and I are pushed to the next door and let into it as well. Before they can lock us in, I manage to throw a look at the weapons they took from us right after stepping on-planet and say, “Be careful with the P90. If I see only so much as a scratch on it, we’ll have to have a nice long _chat_ about it.” He chuckles, then closes the door. Now it’s only Dee and I again.

_Dee_

When the door is closed again, I can see the mask slipping from his… her face for a fraction of a second and am about to ask how she feels when I remember the reason she most probably hasn’t given up the mask yet: we’re being watched and listened to. So instead of being concerned I say, “What do you think, sir?”

She sits down on the bed, shrugs and says, “Seems like they’re a merry little bunch of paranoids. Not my problem. If that makes them feel better, so be it. Main thing is we’re away from those stupid idiots in the SGC.” Again I wonder how she’s doing it. In the small moment I saw her letting the mask slip I could recognize for a few moments that this is really taking its toll on her, but all I see now is a bored guy who looks like Major Moore and also doesn’t.

I sit down on the bed opposite to her and adopt her attitude. “Sure thing. What are we gonna do now?”

She lies down, folds her arm behind her head and says, “Make the best of the situation: go to sleep.” With that she closes her eyes and seems like she has no other care in the world. I try to follow her example, but I’m not sure if my acting is as good as hers. I lie down, fold my arms and close my eyes.

But sleep just won’t come. Too much is going through my heads. Will the “contacts” verify our story? Will Reece be able to hold up the mask for as long as it takes to find out where we are and get back to the SGC to get reinforcements? Will the Major be able to hold up his role as well? Honestly, I don’t know if I could. Being in the body of a woman… really can’t imagine that.

Then a strange thought crosses my mind. Maybe… maybe the Major will be able to see what it means to be Lieutenant Reece. I smirk. Knowing him this whole ordeal might be the only possible way to get into his think skull that he needs to treat her differently. Whoever thought that whole strange bowl incident could maybe bring something good?


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mentions of groping and unwanted touching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has anyone else issues with pasting text from Word to the LJ visual editor? Because I have and need to use AO3 as a work around and I'm really not fond of having to use work arounds for accounts I _pay_ for...

** Chapter Ten **

_Moore_

If one of those guys _ever_ lays hand on me… on this body again I swear I’m gonna kill him. Oh, and I’m gonna kill Reece for those… _things_ on her chest. They unbalance the entire body, and obviously all the guys seem to like them especially when “searching” me. Honestly, how can she live with those things, not to mention _fight_ with them? How can _any_ woman live with them? Some day, you know, some day I really need to ask Laura about that.

But not now. I’m positive we’re being monitored, so I still have to keep up the act. I hunch over on the bed and say, “Captain…” Laura turns to me. 

“What is it, Lieutenant?” Hm, that really feels strange. Not being called “Tom”. Being called “Lieutenant”. It’s been… years since anyone called me Lieutenant.

“Do you think we’ll get out of here soon?” I’m amazed. Part of the anxiety and uncertainty in my voice is _real_ , because I _absolutely_ want to get out of here. I want to talk to Reece about our strategy. I want to talk to Laura about… the _things_. I want to talk about Dee about the possibilities he sees to sabotage any bombs. Or, in a nutshell: I want to be _me_ again.

“Hard to say. I guess they’ll need some time to verify all of our stuff. But don’t worry. We’ve still got our fearless leader.” She says it with a certain amount if sarcasm I’m not really familiar with, and I wonder automatically if that’s how she’s talking about me when being alone with Reece. I mean, with the _real_ Reece.

“Yeah. Ma’am… I wonder if there are any other women around here.”

She cocks an eyebrow, and says, “Me, too. But the way they handled us…” She doesn’t finish the sentence, but we both know what she means. Those guys seriously need to get laid. But definitely not by me, if I have a say in it. I stop. Yeah. But I might not get any say… Involuntarily I look down.

Laura seems to have sensed my discomfort somehow. Or maybe she’s had had the same thoughts, because she says, “The Major will make sure nothing happens, Reece. I really don’t think he’ll want to see any of his team members be manhandled in any way.” I nod. If I was in Reece’s stead I really wouldn’t want to see my own body getting mauled in any way, either. Come to think of it, she better be careful with _my_ body. God, I _really_ need to talk to her.

_Greenspan_

When I saw him look down at his female form I could almost hear his thoughts. Because they were positively very similar to my own. Don’t get me wrong: I know that women in war operations have to be careful in a totally different dimension than men, and I’ve had my share of potentially dangerous situations in combat and in training. But this…. This somehow feels different. Maybe because I now not only have to look out for myself but for Tom – who very obviously hasn’t yet been able to adapt to a female body – as well.

I take a look around, assessing the situation another time, but before I can try and talk to Tom a little more, the door is opened again. Unconsciously I straighten up, immediately being at guard and ready to defend myself. But it’s just some soldier with a tray of food. And the leader guy again. Usually I’d now have let Tom handle the situation, but I suddenly remember that at the moment _I’_ m the ranking officer here. I address the leader, “Sir, permission to ask something?”

He arches an eyebrow in amusement, then says, “Sure. Fire away, Captain.” The soldier who accompanied him barks out a short laugh. Obviously he and his leader just shared some secret joke. As if I care.

“How long will you keep us separated? Because, honestly, I don’t see any real reason for doing it.” Of course I do. I’d do the same, if I was them. Keep the potential threat separated, and you limit their chances of being able to stage something. But I want him to believe me dumber than I am. Better an enemy that underestimates you than one that overestimates you.

And it fully works. Could have told you _that_ long ago. The “clueless female officer” trick _always_ works with people like that bastard. “You already missing your male comrades? That’s sweet somehow.” Sweet, my ass. Just wait until I get a hand on your bio-weapons, darling.

I just shrug. “Missing them? No. Just being concerned about their male pride is all. They don’t like it when someone might have improper thoughts about us. Men.” I even roll my eyes. And, okay, part of that I really mean. Usually, I _can_ take care of myself, and I’m pretty sure, if the shit hits the fan, Reece knows how to do it as well. Even if Tom doesn’t think we can.

“Oh, if it’s like _that_ … Maybe I can do something for those poor boys next door. But now… enjoy the meal, ladies.” He gives us both another mock bow and then he and the other soldier are out of the room again.

For the fraction of a second, Tom gives me a glare that says very clearly “Being concerned about my male pride? Wait until we’re out of here and I’m in my own body again,” but I just say, “Well… let’s see if their food is as bad as their manners.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Reece_

It's been about two days now – oddly enough my sense of time doesn't even fully desert me on foreign planets – and we're still separated from the Major and Laura. I've tried to preserve a totally cool exterior, but it's really beginning to grate on my nerves now. I didn't hear anything suspicious through the walls to the cell where they hold the Major and Laura, but that doesn't mean anything, because I have no clue as to how thick these walls are.

I throw another look around and can barely hold back a sigh. Actually… actually I want to be out of here. I want to be at the SGC, back in my own body… or at least be able to crawl into some remote corner and curl up and pretend everything is okay. But as it is, _nothing_ is okay. I'm trapped in a body I have no clue how to handle, I'm trapped in a _role_ I have no clue how to handle and I'm in desperate need of the help of someone infinitely more experienced than I am. I have _no_ idea what to do next and how to get the team out of here unscathed and the responsibility that _I_ am the one that has to appear as the leader here is weighing me down with every hour. The fact that an annoying headache started to built up in the back of my head as soon as we set foot into this compound doesn't help either.

Just when I'm about to give up and finally start pacing like a caged tiger – which is a little difficult with these long legs and all – the door opens again, and the leader, who finally introduced himself as "Robbins" some hours ago, appears, with that smug grin on his face. God, how I wish I could just wipe it off. I even have the appropriate means, as I discovered that the Major keeps knives in… interesting locations, but I don't think it would be strategically wise to use them already. And of course we just won't mention the fact that I have _no_ idea as how to use them anyway.

"Good news for you. You're going to be reunited with your ladies again. Seems I maybe have developed a soft spot for one of them." I just raise my eyebrow. "The red-head. I like my girls quiet, and she's an extraordinarily quiet one." Good _God_. He's taken a likening to me. The Major. Whatever. Anyway, that's not good. I just hope the Major will get acquainted enough with my body that he'll be able to defend himself properly once anyone tries something stupid.

When I still say nothing, he continues, "Anyway, you're already cleared enough so that we can assign you to shared quarters. Come on." He waves me and Dee out of the room, and I follow the wave, with just the right amount of lingering reluctance that he understands that someday he will have to stop ordering me around. Or at least I _hope_ it's the right amount.

After what seems like a ridiculous long walk for a facility that was supposed to be a provisional hide-out, we stop again and Robbins makes a grand gesture towards one of the doors that really doesn't look any different from those of the rooms they had us confined to. With a smug grin he opens it, and I can see a room that is a little better furnished than the last. And two familiar faces, both of them looking unhurt. Thank. God.

Without saying anything else, I step in with Dee following me closely.

* * *

_Moore_

Thank God it's them. I'm so relieved a little sigh escapes my throat, and at first I feel getting angry at myself because I'm a fucking SF and we don't sigh in relief when being reunited with the rest of the team but then I realize that I'm playing Reece's role here and that the little sigh just served to consolidate my part of the game, and probably verified the enemy's not very positive assessment of my abilities as a soldier. I wonder… is Reece at least sometimes _deliberately_ behaving like a clueless little girl?

Anyway, at the moment she wouldn't get very far with the clueless little girl, because she's supposed to be me and now that I got a few looks at her I've got the distinct feeling that it's starting to put a real strain on her. She's trying very hard not to appear stressed out or frightened, but I can see her somewhat fidgety moves and I caught her stopping herself from rubbing her temples at least two times in the few minutes she's here in the room. It's getting to her and we need to do something about that _fast_.

The door shuts behind Dee and Reece, and now I can see the mask slipping away very clearly, if only for a few seconds. For these few seconds her face looked like she wants nothing more than to be able to scurry into some far corner and cry. But – and yes, even I am able to appreciate the irony of that – showing emotions is just the thing that's an absolute no-no. That would be my job now, and I could get us all into trouble if I _didn't_ do it. Good God, it seems that this is getting too complicated for me already.

"Well, girls… how have you been?" Ah, and there's the cocky bastard back, even if you can detect a slight wavering in his voice.

Laura shrugs. "Okay. They didn't try anything all too obvious, and if they did they would've done it once and never again." She smirks, trying to plaster up her own insecurity and weariness. You know… I've been on countless undercover and insurgency missions – only not with _this_ team – but somehow this one is already starting to grate on my nerves. Let's just hope we get this over with fast enough.

"I'd hope so. Hey, Reece, just for the future: They _did_ show you basic self-defense moves, right?" Good grief, is that how I look and sound when I'm going off on her? Obviously it was a minor miracle that she decided to speak up against me back on that planet with the plains.

Trying to mimic her usual timid self I nod and answer, "Well… yes, sir." I wonder… does she add a mental "What else did you think, Mister Zoomie Idiot?" when she's answering questions like these?

She gives me a huff. "I hope you _listened_ to them." Whoa. That _definitely_ sounded like something _I_ would say. Something mean and disrespectful and tactless… I look at Laura, obviously a question in my eyes which she answers only with drawn up eyebrows and the hint of a smirk on her lips. Okay, so that's _exactly_ what I would have said.

"Yes, sir." And now for something completely different, because this is a topic I just don't want to talk about anymore. Having that guy groping me or mentally undressing me every time he sees me is something I definitely do _not_ want to think about. "Sir… permission to ask a question?"

Reece shrugs. "Sure. Shoot."

I clear my throat, stalling a little because I need to phrase this one very carefully. Additionally it will hopefully enhance the impression of timid little girl I'll make for the cameras. "Sir… what are we supposed to do now?" Come on, Reece, take the bait.

"Well… sit and wait, I guess. And be ready for whatever they'll throw at us." That was _not_ what I was hoping to… oh. That look on her face… she's trying to tell me something because it doesn't really go with the bored and slightly irritated tone in her voice. It looks suspiciously like she's telling me she's trying to figure out something.

Grah. I need to find a more practical way to communicate past the cameras than this. I need to talk to my team without having to code and decode everything for an infinite amount of times, because we _really_ need to assess the whole situation and form a plan. We have to come up with something from scratch, ignore the mission objective – O'Neill is _so_ going to have my ass for this – and get the fuck out of here, preferably with all our hides still intact.

But as it, we're still trapped in a room with surveillance from every ankle and nothing else to do than wait for the "contacts" at the SGC to verify our story. The irony is: Back at the SGC no one will get the idea we might be in trouble here because for _them_ everything goes according to the plan. So we're on our own here, and for the first time in my military career that truly worries me.

"Hey, Maureen, everything's gonna be okay. At least we got rid of these idiots back at the SGC." Laura just sat down beside me and gently rubs my back. I desperately hope she's just doing this for the cameras, but deep down I'm afraid that she knows me far too well not to have noticed how worried I'm becoming. I try a timid smile.

"Yeah. I just hope we've not stumbled into a lot of even more idiots." Oops. I don't think that's what the real Reece would have said… Oh. Reece and Dee obviously heard me and are both grinning at me. What surprises me most is that the wicked gleam in Reece's eyes is absolutely genuine. She _would_ have said or at least thought that. I _really_ need to get the team out of here, because now it seems I really need to get to know my youngest team member better.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

_De_ _Lisle_

I've been a soldier for… I don't know how long now… eight to ten years, I think, and I've been serving alongside the Major for about six of them and alongside Laura for at least two years. We've been a Black Ops team ever since the beginning three years ago. In these years we had countless dangerous and potentially lethal situations. But I can't remember just one where I've been so relieved to see Laura unharmed.

For the last two days I've successfully pushed every thought that centered on her to the back of my mind, but the moment we came into the room and I saw her dry half-smile I realized I'd been holding my breath all the time. I know I need to focus solely on the mission and I know I can do that, but for a few minutes I want to allow myself the leisure of concentrating on the well-being of my teammate.

Okay.

My team _mates_.

If the Major knew I'd not been thinking about the _whole_ team he'd seriously have my hide. On a mission, there are only three things that count for the Major: the objective, the target, the team, and in that order. Of course he's right. So no more thinking about Laura being unharmed, though looking a little tired and wanting to give her at least an encouraging smile.

In fact, the thing I _should_ be thinking about is some way to communicate safely without alarming our captors. I could see a brief exchange between Reece and the Major, and I _bet_ he's already burning for a team briefing. He wants to solve this as fast as possible and I guess that's about the same thing the rest of the team wants.

And to be honest: That includes me as well. Reece is really giving her best, but she's still just a junior officer and she can only do so much. Just two or three days more without any guidance or counseling by a senior officer and she'll break and let the mask slip for good, I'm sure.

I can see it already. Her movements are nervous and erratic, she can't keep her legs still and it looks a little like a headache or something like that is seriously distracting her. Additionally, she isn't the only one the situation is already putting a strain on. Laura looks tired and nervous and I'm not sure how much of the Major's anxiety and discomfort is just acting and how much is real.

I for my part am still quite fit, but I've had this kind of op probably even more often than the Major. During the first years of my service I'd had a few ops with the CIA. I've never told anyone about them – not even the Major – and some of them made it necessary to go into deep cover. And well… some of them… let's just not talk about them.

Most of this team's ops, though are fast hit-and-run ops and SAR-missions and if the Major isn't keeping some dirty secrets of his own, it's that kind of mission he's used to. Can't remember him having lots of experience with this kind of undercover-mission, and to be honest: It's worrying me.

The most important part now is to figure out a way to communicate without actually giving anything away. I'm not quite sure, but I think a few minutes ago I caught Reece trying to tell the Major something with her eyes. I've no idea if he managed to get that or if he completely overlooked it.

And then, kind of out of the blue, I realize that I've had the right kind of idea already lurking around in the back of my head. Of course… _of course_. I really should have gotten earlier to that. Alright, now, how to communicate that to the team… Oh, right. „Sir, permission to ask you something?"

Reece looks up, not exactly sure what I want from her. I really hope she'll get what I'll now hint at. "Sure, shoot."

"Remember that mission report from SG1 when they where stranded a couple of weeks ago?" She looks totally clueless. Argh.

"Err… yes…" But at least she doesn't _say_ that she's clueless. And the Major and Laura seem to be getting an inkling at which report I'm hinting. So far so good.

"You were so thrilled about it that you told _everyone_ of us about that stuff." The gleam of realization in the Major's eyes. Oh yes, _he_ gets what I'm talking about. And – do wonders ever cease – it seems to ring _some_ bell inside Reece's head as well.

"Yep."

Now Laura joins in as well. "It was actually pretty annoying how _often_ you were telling us about it." _Jackpot_. Reece remembers the report about how SG1 had to talk their way past the cameras and resorted to code stuff with sayings and phrases. And yeah, it _is_ hard to forget how the Major was getting on our nerves, even if that was only a few days after she'd joined the team.

"Yeah, well… I just wanted to tell you that I hate you for forcing all of us to read that thing." Oops, maybe that was a little bit too much. Good thing no one on the base knows this team well enough to realize that this is nothing I would have _ever_ told the Major under normal circumstances. And the look in the Major's eyes definitely confirms that.

Reece, however, has no problem with playing along and just says nonchalantly, "Hey, I just wanted to do something for your general education. And this is how you thank me…"

"We are infinitely grateful, sir, but… telling us _once_ really would have done the trick." The Major now, obviously eager to do his bit and not fall behind Reece. I can see that the "infinitely grateful"-part was meant for me and that his mind is already working overtime to come up with sayings and their translations, but I just hope he keeps in mind that Reece is a _linguist_. Decoding stuff comes naturally to her, and he'd be really stupid if he'd underestimate her like he's used to.

"Yeah, well, can't change that anymore. So now, that we got this out in the open… does anyone else want to get anything off their chest? Confessions, anyone?" She gestures lazily into the round, still every inch looking like a cocky bastard and I can see that for the moment at least she feels a little more secure again.

* * *

_Greenspan_

Well, well… Dee's a genius, obviously. I wonder why Tom didn't think of that one… or well, myself, come to think of it. He'd really been getting on my nerve with this one mission report and Dee and Maureen wholeheartedly agreed with me on this one. In fact, that had been the first time I'd exchanged more than just a few little words on a professional level with her. Her grumbling about that report in the shower after our mandatory PE hours had lead to our first real talk. Yeah, I really should have thought of _that_ one.

But anyway, I didn't, and I can agonize about that later. I have a job to do now. We _all_ have to do one. So… what to do now? Oh right, start the decoding game. I clear my throat. "No confession. Just an advice. Tranquility breeds strength." Let's see how that works.

"Brevity is the soul of wit," Tom immediately fires back.

It prompts a "Waste not, want not." from Dee.

But in the end it's Reece who has the final word, absolutely cool and a little absentmindedly. "To each his own."

Well… that worked great. I think. Anyway, I _think_ it went like this: I suggested that we take it slow, Tom countered with the fact that we're on the clock here, Dee reminded us to think over our resources and Reece told us all to do our homework and come up with what we think we can do in our particular fields of expertise.

Wait.

Reece _told us to do something_? Did I miss something? I throw Tom a look and he shrugs, if only for a millisecond. Alright… I mean, it's not like it was _bad_ idea… just a little unexpected is all. Maybe… maybe there really is an officer inside that little Lieutenant that just needs to be tickled a little. Maybe…

But before I can finish that thought, Reece suddenly grabs her head and… breaks down. Oh crap. Ohcrapohcrapohcrap. I rush over to her. She's unconscious and I motion Dee and Tom over to help me stretch her out on the bed. This is _not_ good. I check her vitals, and there's nothing alarming, but… this could be after-effects of the incident in the ruins, and I don't want to take any chances.

"He's okay. Maybe passed out from manly hunger or something." Tom manages to grin a little and Dee even produces a snort. I pretend a laugh as well, but I'm seriously concerned. They took away my medkit and my trusty little virus scanner. I don't even have a stethoscope left, not to mention any syringes and medication. Unexplained fainting spells are _not_ what we need now.

Anyway… let's try the stalwart approach. I gently pat her cheeks with one hand and motion for Dee or Tom to get me some wet clothes. She doesn't wake up with the patting and so I take the wet… whatever Dee gives me and throw it on her face rather unceremoniously. Nope, guys you're not going to see the gentle medicine woman here.

And yes, there's some life on Mars again. There's a groan first and then finally eyes opened. Which make me nearly jump. For a moment… for a moment there's nothing of either Maureen or Tom in them. Instead… they're blank and empty… like those of a zombie. I blink and the eyes look normal again. A bit disoriented, but normal. Okay. I'm officially turning into a nutcase here.

Groaning, she gets up again, looking like Tom in his best Academy days after a drinking round with Evan Lorne, Charlie Williamson and the whole rest of those days' Academy's finest. "Who of you knocked me out, huh? Reece, if that was you…" Okay. Whatever it was, it can't have been _that_ bad if she's still able to say stuff like that.

Tom on the other hand tries to look something between embarrassed and slightly chuffed at the unjustified accusation. "Sir, I…"

But before he can finish his sentence, the door opens again and Robbins stands there, all the joviality and false cordiality gone. He points his gun at Reece. "You. Get here." I look at her and… crap. The zombie eyes are back. Only for a second or so, but they were _definitely_ there. And when they're gone, she looks at me, dumbfounded, like something she doesn't understand just happened. She looks… terrified. Holy fucking crap. _What_ is happening here? "Hey! Are you deaf or what? I said get here! You need some help or what?" She turns back to Robbins, and the gun is pointing… at Tom. Of course, he's selecting the supposed weakest link to make our supposed leader comply with his order. Don't fight him, Reece. Do what he tells you.

After another second… she just nods and walks over to Robbins, trying to maintain the slightly bored façade she's been displaying for a while now. But I can see that something seriously shook her equilibrium and that she has difficulties keeping up the act any longer. When she's through the door, I turn back to face the guys, desperately searching for a way to tell them about what just happened.

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Reece_

This isn't good. In fact, it's downright horrible. First this headache building up, then suddenly collapsing… and on top of it this weird feeling of being remote-controlled _twice_ in the last few minutes. I wish I could have asked Laura what could possible cause something like this, because it's starting to frighten me… I mean, frighten me even more than this all is already doing.

Robbins' attitude hasn't changed, and there's still the no-nonsense guy with the gun that's been there in the door a few minutes back. I know that sounds a little strange, but this is a little reassuring. Maybe because I was prepared for dangerous guys with guns, at least more than I was prepared for sleazy grins and joviality.

After a few more minutes of silently walking, I'm pushed into a room with only a table and two chairs in it. And a big reflective window pane facing the door. Someone seen too many "Law and Order"-episodes, maybe? Unceremoniously, one of Robbins' cronies pushes me onto the chair facing the window pane and Robbins sits down opposite of me. Alright. Interrogation scene, here we go.

Oh God, I wish I'd really feel as hard-boiled as I'm trying to tell myself I am. But the only thing I am is a puddle of frightened goo. Staying was a mistake. I should have never tried to belong to this team. I should have never… "Turn it on, Masterson." Turn on _what_?

Oh.

"Who are you?"

"First Lieutenant Maureen Catrina Reece, United States Marine Corps. Service number…" No! What the hell am I doing here? Why the hell am I giving them my personal details? And why won't that fucking headache just fucking _stop_?

"You want to muck about with me? _You_ are certainly _no_ Maureen Catrina." Of course I'm not. I'm just telling you that to confuse you a little.

"Well, aren't we a clever little boy?" God, my head feels like it's splitting in two every minute. It's really hard keeping up _any_ façade up about right now.

"And I have a few more tricks up my sleeve. Masterson, refine the brain waves." Who the hell is that Masterson-guy and what is this brainwaves stuff?

Oh.

Headache's getting better. _Much_ better. Starting to feel like there's a giant marshmallow instead of my brain. Mh… _that's_ nice. "Now, tell me who you are again."

"First Lieutenant Maureen Catrina Reece, United States Marine Corps." Still a marshmallow brain. God, that feel's _good_.

"Are you trying to kid me?" No, you idiot. _Ow_! Not the headache again! "Brain waves, Masterson." Ah, yeah, better. "Are you trying to kid me, Major?"

"No. I'm First Lieutenant Maureen Catrina Reece. Major Moore is back in custody, in my body. We changed bodies." Mh, without a care in the world… wait. Did I just tell them what we tried to keep secret? Why the hell did I just offer them vital intel? Am I _totally_ nuts now?

Whoa. Most of all, I'm having a headache. Head… ache. Oh crap. That's _my_ brain waves they're messing around with. No, no, not the marshmallow again! Pain is good! I _want_ pain! I _need_ pain! Pain means I'm still myself. "You changed bodies? Interesting. Did the other two change bodies as well?" Lie, Reece. Lie like you never lied before.

"Yes." Short, precise answers. And fight the marshmallow feeling. Nothing else matters now.

"Even more interesting. Does the SGC know?" Ah good, I don't have to lie here. Because from the look of his face, it looks very much like Robbins doesn't believe a word of what I just said.

"No." He leans back, grinning.

"Perfect. And now, Lieutenant Reece, I activate Directive 970-654." Directive wha… _Pump your team for intel about the SGC. Make them believe they can escape from here. Give them false intel. Let them smuggle the intel back to the SGC. Failsafe: Kill them, then kill yourself._

"Directive 970-654 activated."

"Good. Wait for further instructions. Go back into stand by-mode." Huh.

What the hell was _that_? And anyway, stop messing around with my brain waves, you idiots. Honestly. You're messing with the wrong girl here. Try to mess around with my brain – the only valuable thing I can contribute to this team – and you're done for. "And I'm sorry to say… we'll have to give you a bit of a beating. Wouldn't want your team mates grow suspicious, huh?" Wait, beating? _Beating_? Not again. But yep, there comes the first blow.

Aw, _fuck_. But at least the pain from the jaw distracts me from the headache. Only now I have to explain to the Major, why there is… _OW_!

* * *

_DeLisle_

Something's bothering Laura. I can see that. The moment Reece woke up, something happened and it's immensely bothering Laura. She's trying to appear totally unfazed, playing "What do you think they're doing to him?" with the Major appearing like the calm experienced senior officer, while the Major plays the inexperienced frightened Lieutenant. Actually, he's doing a better job of it then I would have given him credit for. Makes me suspect that he _is_ keeping some secrets of his own about past missions.

But still something's not quite right. There's an edge to Laura's movements, and the smile she's giving the Major now and then doesn't quite reach her eyes. She's seen something and she's burning to tell us, but it must have been something really unsettling. Or else she'd already have tried it.

Before I can continue musings, though, the door finally opens again and they toss in a severely bruised Major. Reece. Good God, I _really_ need to get used to this. "Try and convince your that one here to be a bit more cooperative. We'll not be as friendly next time." And with that, the door is firmly closed again.

Immediately we all rush towards her. Outwardly she looks like the Major after a good round of interrogation routine, and if that _was_ the Major, I wouldn't be worried a bit. But it's a Lieutenant who's still wet behind the ears and probably just had her first round of torture _ever_. Suddenly I'm sorry for trying to convince her to stay with the team. She doesn't belong here. She should be sitting in an office, happily wasting time with dusty tomes and languages no one speaks anymore, trying to solve some intellectual challenging puzzle or other.

"You… should see the other three guys," she says and coughs as she tries to sit up, while Laura takes rudimental care of the cuts and bruises on her face.

Laura is looking into her eyes again and again… again I wish she would find a way of telling us what's bothering her so much. "I swear, Thomas Moore, one day I'll simply refuse treating you until you stop this quipping." Next to me, I can hear a cough, and it's coming from the Major. Obviously, he didn't like what she was implying.

"You wouldn't want it any other way, anyway." Reece even manages a smirk.

"Watch me," Laura just growls back, and I just _bet_ she wants the Major to hear every little bit of this, silently telling him that she won't tolerate any cocky behaviour when he's back in his own body.

"Who watches the watchmen…" What the…? That didn't make any sense. Why is Reece…

Wait.

Watchmen… watch _man_ … watch… _she_ is the watchman. She's trying to tell us something. She wants _us_ to watch _her_. But… why? Okay, play along now, Sergeant. "Oh, there's always someone who doesn't have anything better to do, sir."

"I certainly hope so." Laura and the Major look a little clueless at first, but then they both get it. They don't look particularly happy.

"Okay, enough with the nonsense. I want all of you in your beds now. As long as they decide to let us rot here, we can very well use the time for some R&R." Reece gives her a sloppy grin.

"You heard the Doc, people. It's bedtime for all of us." Laura rolls her eyes and makes a point of _not_ helping Reece up. Reece doesn't complain, though, but… catches the Major's eyes and… then mouths something that looks like "They know." The sudden pained and shameful expression in her eyes tells the Major and me very clearly _what_ they know. Which means that the next one they'll go for is probably the Major himself.

For a moment, there's irritation clouding the Major's eyes, and I'm positive that he's already composing the shouting he's going to give her once we're back, but then… he surprises me and very shortly – almost too quick to notice – squeezes Reece's knee in a comforting gesture. Huh. Maybe we _really_ should all go to bed. Loss of sleep is doing strange things to all of us.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

_Moore_

Great. I _knew_ she'd screw up taking care of my body. I leave her alone for a few minutes, and what do I get back? Bruises, cuts, the whole nine yards. Honestly, this isn't your body, missy. Didn't your mother teach you how to take care of stuff someone lent to you?

Wait.

Moore, you're an idiot. It was only a question of time until they would start dealing us a few blows, and if it was only to show the new guys who's boss around here. And if it was really _you_ in your own body, you'd simply take the bruises and cuts as given and go on. Also… _you_ wouldn't have a problem with the pain. It wouldn't have been the first time you had to take a beating in the course of a mission, but your linguist… your linguist has had only three months of service with you, and no one can prepare you for torture, even as comparatively light as this. Maybe _you_ had to _see_ the bruises… she has to _feel_ them.

I take a deep breath and turn around again. I need to sleep, I know. If they really know… I'm the next one. Fuck it, this is really going down the drain fast. Only thing that's lacking is that our cover gets blown. Or maybe _is_ already blown. Which would explain why they had this little chat with Reece… and which also means that there's a mole in the SGC. Crap. Crapcrapcrap.

From across the room, the sound of someone else taking a deep breath floats over to me, followed by the rustling of sheets of someone turning around quite forcefully. Obviously, I'm not the only one plagued by insomnia. And there's another sound… something like… a… sob? I get up and try to feel my way around in the pitch black room, concentrating on the sounds.

When I find the source, I try to reorient myself… Good thing I once had this instructor who had this thing about being able to find your way in every situation. And I mean _every_ situation. Guy had us run around evilly planned courses in pitch black rooms for at least a week. Anyway… that should be the bed Reece is sleeping in.

I crouch down and reach out… yes, there's a shoulder. Huh. What, no startling? Okay, maybe I wasn't the quietest one, and one of her strengths is her hearing. "Sir?" I whisper.

"You can stop that," she whispers back, her voice tight.

"Alright… Reece. You okay?" Shuddering breath. Silence. I just _bet_ she's thinking about telling me that, yes, she is. If she's learned anything in the last three months it's the art of saying "I'm fine.", even if she's everything but.

"No. They know, and I'm… something…" I heave a sigh. If we ever make it back, I'll ask O'Neill if he can get her a nice cosy posting far away from everything that's the SGC. Or anything that has to do with field work _at all_ , at least for the next five years. It's torture for her here, and she's in severe danger. She doesn't belong with us, and it would be irresponsible to keep her on the team. But for now I have to take some strain off her. I can still explode when we're back at the SGC.

"Don't worry. We'll make it back." I can feel her shake her head.

"No, you don't… you don't understand." Huh? Is that about this "Watch the watchmen"-stuff again?

"Then _explain_ it to me." Suddenly, I feel her hand grab mine that has been lying on her shoulder and that feels a little… strange. No, not only because it's a little creepy to feel my own calloused hand on definitely female skin, but also because it's such a strange gesture from someone like Reece who always took great care to keep her distance from everyone – not only on an emotional basis, but also physically. Something happened in that interrogation. Something else than a beating.

I hear her very sharp intake of breath and then her hand feels around for my collar and draws me towards her. In an instant, her lips are very close to my ear and her breath touches my ear, when she whispers nearly inaudible: "They did something to me. I'm dangerous, sir. Don't let me near a gun and don't take me back to the SGC. Escape without me. And then search for a mole. _Don't_ trust me with _any_ intel." What the…? Is she _nuts_? Leave without her? Leave her _here_? In _my_ body?

Now it's my turn to grab her and put my lips to her ear. "No way, Lieutenant. Number one: I don't leave a man behind. Never. Number two: I will most certainly _not_ leave my _body_ behind."

The hand around my collar tightens. She's not joking. She's terrified, and she desperately needs someone to calm her down. "Then get me out of here unconscious, and lock me away. But _don't_ give me any escape plans or any other intel on the mission. _Please_ , sir." How are we supposed to do that, huh? And did they bug her?

No, wait, she wouldn't talk to me if they did. So why… "Sir, _believe_ me. I'm not joking around." Yeah, I can hear _that_. But I have my difficulties with trusting her and her judgment, because I simply don't know her very well. But I may not have another choice. I take a deep breath.

"Fine. I have no idea how to do this, but I promise." Her grip on my collar relaxes a little, but she doesn't draw back. I can still hear her breathing, and it's irregular and a little shuddering. I wish I could simply tell her to get her act together and soldier on, like every Marine would do, but contrary to popular belief I _do_ have a heart. The fact that she still doesn't let go tells me she probably needs someone close by for comfort. And _that_ tells me that something must be seriously wrong.

Almost gently, I pry her hand from my collar and without letting go of it for a few more moments, I whisper, "Just for the record, Lieutenant: even if you weren't occupying my body, I wouldn't leave you behind, whatever else you might think. Now try and get some sleep. I'll figure something out."

She sighs heavily. Then, "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Then she finally draws back and the rustling tells me that she tries to curl up and settle down a little. Quietly I make my way back to my own bed and wonder how on Earth I could let myself be pressured into exposing a subordinate like her to risks no one really took care to prepare her for… something I'm to be blamed the worst for.

* * *

_Greenspan_

Something happened tonight. Something between Tom and Maureen. They both might have thought Dee and I were asleep, but at least I was wide awake. Through the pitch black I could hear the whispering, and I could hear that Maureen is afraid… no, _terrified_. It has to be something really bad, because I just bet that when it suddenly turned very quiet again, she was telling him something without any coding. She wanted him to understand _exactly_ how bad it is.

And then, this morning, when they suddenly turned on the light again, there was… a change in Tom's bearing. He isn't pretending to be Reece anymore, probably because it's no use anyway. There's also… a new kind of understanding in Tom's bearing towards Reece. He's a little wary, like he doesn't really trust her. But part of the irritation Reece always inspired him is gone as well. Instead there's… sympathy. Huh? Where the hell does that come from?

But unfortunately I don't get any chance to find out more, because the door opens again. "'Morning, everyone!", Robbins greets us, again jovial and kind of scarily cheerful, striding into the room, followed by two of his cronies. He's got something on his mind, and it's probably not going to be pretty.

"I don't know what's good about this morning," Tom grumbles and immediately draws Robbins' attention to himself. I wish he wouldn't have done that, but a look at him told me that he's doing this on purpose, probably to draw Robbins' attention from Reece and the rest. He's got something on his mind as well.

"I do. I get to interrogate _you_ … Major Moore. Isn't that right?" Tom just shrugs.

"Genius. Everyone could have gotten _that_ out of the little screw-up over there." He jerks his head towards Reece, who's doing a pretty good job of looking embarrassed, downcast and ashamed. Actually, she's doing a much better job of it than Tom ever would have been able to in his own body.

"Ah, a tough cookie, huh? Let's see how tough you can be in a girl's body." Blergh. Just… blergh. All kinds of. Actually, it's a good thing that these guys deserted. They're a _disgrace_ to the Corps, and I bet that even Maureen feels injured in her Corps pride, even if she herself doesn't exactly think of herself as the Corps's finest.

"Watch me," Tom growls, and if I didn't know already that this is _not_ Maureen inside that body, I'd be fully convinced _now_. He doesn't even wait for Robbins to taunt him a little more and moves towards him voluntarily. What the…? When he reaches Robbins, he simply shouts "Mess hall catastrophe!" and simply jumps Robbins.

Dee immediately reacts, remembering instantly the incident Tom is referring to. As am I. While Tom has gotten into a full out fight with Robbins – it _is_ a little strange seeing Reece's body fight like an expert – Dee is targeting the first soldier of the escort. My job is taking out the second one, and so I lunge a kick at him, taking him by surprise at first. That's enough to get me an opening to go for the Beretta at his side. In the moment I have him on the ground and the Beretta pointed against his head, Tom and Dee have their adversaries under control as well.

"Reece, take the guards' rifles." Reece, who didn't partake in the whole thing, simply shakes her head, terrified.

"No. I said no guns, sir. Everything… just no guns." What _happened_ to her? She isn't defying this order out of the same reasons she defied the last order – the absolute confidence that she simply knew better – but out of pure fear.

Robbins tries to get Tom of his back, and Tom does seem to have difficulties to adapt to the much lighter weight and loss of muscles that Reece's body is bringing with it, but at the moment he's still able to hold the ex Marine under control. "Reece, do it. No discussions."

"Sir, I…"

" _Reece_!" She swallows. Then she takes a few steps towards us, very tentatively, as if she needs to concentrate very, very hard. As if something else was taking up a lot of her concentration. Very carefully, she crouches down beside each guard and takes up their G36s. "Now, one on your back, the other one trained on these guys. If anyone so much as moves a finger, you shoot him. Understood?" She shortly closes her eyes and then simply nods and complies with his order. Tom just throws Dee and me a look and a nod and then starts tying Robbins' hands together with the binders from his belt. Swiftly, Dee and I do the same with our guys.

Finally, we all get up again. Immediately, Tom takes the rifles from Maureen who seems _really_ relieved to get rid of them, gives one to Dee and keeps the other one, but puts his looted Beretta in her hands in exchange. "I don't leave my people defenceless, Lieutenant," is all he says and effectively shuts up any eventual protestations from her.

Then he goes back to Robbins, searches his pockets and takes out a few key cards, flash drives and an IDC. He even takes the liberty to give Robbins a smug grin. "Thank you. Spares us having to search for our owns."

Robbins, though, doesn't want to leave the final word to Tom. "You're making a _big_ mistake, Major. You've got a barrel of gun powder with you, and you just put a lighter to the fuse."

If there's one thing Tom hates it's cheating him out of the final word. _You_ just made a big mistake, Mr. Robbins. "Don't worry. I just want to keep the suspense building a little before I stamp out that fuse again." With that, he lands a very well aimed punch at Robbins' face that manages to put the lights out of that guy. Note to self: teach Maureen how do that when she's back in her body again. Seems like she could be quite the fighter queen if she knew how to. "That's for giving me that ugly black eye."

He gets up again and opens the door to the corridor. He checks both sides to see if the video footage already alerted the rest of the base, but at the moment everything is quiet out there. He turns around again. Usually, now he'd tell us what to do next, but this time he simply says, "Follow my lead."

Dee and I throw each other a look and share a nearly invisible shrug. Well… usually he knows what he's doing. Let's just hope that this body-changing thing didn't fry his mind.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

_DeLisle_

Well… that was fast. The Major obviously wasn't joking when he said earlier that we shouldn't waste any time. And he still isn't. Swift and silent, he directs us through the complex, searching for… for what? And what happened to "telling your team what the hell is going on"?

Reece is trailing in front of me, after the Major practically forced her to come with us. He didn't say anything, but when she didn't look, he signalled to me to keep my eyes on her, and that's what I'm doing now. Behind me, Laura is bringing up the rear. So far, we haven't encountered any resistance, but that doesn't say anything. Could also be a trap.

Still trailing through corridor after corridor… and Reece doesn't look exactly like she's going to make it much longer. She's losing concentration, again and again needing time to get back her focus. But when Laura had wanted to check up on her, she'd just waved her away, telling her to keep away as far as possible from her. We really need to get out of here.

But the Major seems to be looking for something. He's been trying the keycards he nicked from Robbins on several other doors, but most of them revealed nothing but storage rooms. At least one of them was the armoury and another one turned out to be Robbins' personal quarters. Both times the Major looked a little like a kid in a candy store – the first time most probably because the armoury had been full of G36s, ammunition and some packets of C4 and the second time because Robbins' laptop had been pretty easy to crack with one of his flash drives. Usually, the Major prefers a little challenge when it's about computers, but not if we're on the clock like now.

And now, another door again. The Major signals us to take positions at both sides of the door, like before and slides the card through the lock. The door opens and… whoa, jackpot! It's some kind of control room, and the guys at the terminals do _not_ look amused at the sight of four people with G36s trained at them at their entrance.

After a second of pure "What the fuck?" they all dive for cover and start shooting at us immediately. Methodically, the Major and I start taking them down one after one. They're fucking good, and it feels like hours until we've taken down the last one. When there's no fire coming at us anymore, the Major signals for me to move into the room. Carefully, I scout into the room… five down… Oh _crap_!

We missed one. He'd been hiding the whole time, out of our field of vision and saving all his ammo during the first shoot out. Which made it possible for him to get me square in the leg, a full penetration. Immediately, I squat behind one of the terminals, reload and start firing, trying to shut out the pain from the leg. From the door, the Major is firing again. But damn, that guy is a tough one.

Neither of us gets a good shot at him, because he's sitting in an impossible angle. Actually… the only way of getting him would be placing oneself between my position and the door… right in his line of fire. Crap. Crap, crap, crappydycrap. And I don't have that much of spare ammo left to squander it around.

I throw another look at the door and… holy… Is that Reece trying to get by the Major to take out the last rogue Marine? What the hell? Does she have a death wish or something? And does the Major have one as well? Because he just signalled Reece to take his position and give him cover. He isn't…

He is. Throwing himself on the ground and firing from this position on the last man standing, that is. It takes him another few seconds, and it's just so strange seeing Reece's body lying on the ground, displaying unbelievable courage and calm under fire and expertly taking out her adversary. I wonder if she'll ever get as far as _really_ being able to do this.

And then it's over, this time for real. The last soldier is down, and immediately, the Major signals for Laura and Reece to get into the room, gets up and closes the door. The first thing he does is grabbing a terminal and starting to type furiously, probably to seal the door and render the outside card lock useless. But my view is suddenly blocked by Laura. "I don't even want to hear it, Sergeant. Just shut up and let me do my work."

Dammit. She's getting better at anticipating the exclamations of "I'm okay, it's just a scratch." and simply steamrolling the Major and me, before we can even get it out. So I simply let her rudimentally take care of the bullet wound with medpacks she's scavenged from the fallen rogue Marines around us. I know it sounds crude and kind of impious, but on a mission you simply don't have the time and leisure to wonder about questions of moral. You always save the moral repercussions for after the debriefing.

Behind Laura, the Major has changed the terminal and is downloading data on one of the flash drives and controlling a second download on another terminal, while Reece is obviously working on finding our exit with plans of the building on one of the other screens, looking _very_ unhappy. I just bet the Major forced her, just like he forced her to accept the weapon.

As for my leg… now that the adrenalin is starting to ebb away, the pain is getting more intense, and I can't help gritting my teeth as Laura tightens the dressing around the leg. I must have made some sound, because she looks up from her work, with a worried frown on her face. "Don't worry, we'll get you back to the SGC in no time. The bullet didn't strike the aorta, and your blood loss isn't critical yet." I simply nod, not trusting my voice to have its usual calm tone. It really annoys me, you know. So many missions, and I still can't get used to bullet wounds.

And what irritates me even more is that I don't want to see this expression on her face and want to make it go away with a few reassuring words or a smile. But this woman is an officer and most of all a _doctor_. She doesn't need a Sergeant humor her and give her encouragement. I really need to find something to blow up fast, simply to get my mind off all this.

* * *

_Reece_

God, why can't he just _listen_ to me? I wasn't joking when I told the Major that I was not to be trusted, under _no_ circumstances and most of all _not_ with a weapon. Granted, the headache has lessened a little and neither did this strange marshmallow feeling return, but… I just have this feeling that something really _bad_ will happen sooner or later. I still wonder what this strange seconds of being totally out of it during this interrogation meant.

All of that are _very_ good reasons to keep me on a very short leash, and maybe even gag me, blindfold me and cover my ears. But _no_ , Major "I know better than you, just _because_." Moore just _had_ to put that fucking Beretta into my hands and have me look up the blue prints of the building to find us an escape route. If there really happens something, I honestly hope to survive it, just because I want to tell him " _Told_ you so," and if it's the last thing I'll ever do.

But for now… look at blue prints, memorize way out of here, be ready to move again. Yeah. I can do that. Oh, and somehow get rid of that stupid Bere… "Alright, I'm done. Dee, can you move?"

"Yes, sir. Might not break any records right now, but other than that I'm good to go." I turn towards Dee and Laura on the ground just in time to see Laura's discreet nod to back up Dee's self-assessment. Aw, crap. I'll _never_ get rid of that Beretta without attracting anyone's attention now.

"Good. Let's move. Reece, you lead the way." No. Nonono! "Reece, I wasn't _asking_ you." One more time of that and I'll… _Failsafe to Directive 970-654 activated. Kill your teammates._ "Fuck it, Lieutenant, put that gun down!"

I blink. What the… Why the hell am I pointing a _gun_ at my _CO_? Oh God. It's happened again. Just a few seconds… and I'm out of it. They did something to me. Something worse than those headaches. I have to… _Kill your teammates._

" _Put that gun down_!" What… Yes, yes, I _want_ to!

"Sorry, sir. I can't do anything against it. Take it from me, _please_." Don't lose control now, Reece. Hang on to every little bit of self-control you ever learned. Focus on this. Don't lose control. Stay conscious. Stay… _Kill_ …

"That's it! Multiple level brainwashing!" Laura's voice now, calling me back. Keep talking to me! Aw, crap. Now the headache started to get worse again. Oh, no, wait, the headache helps to remind me to fight! Okay, headache equals good thing. Remember that. _Concentrate_ on that. "Maureen, keep fighting. Put the gun on the ground, push it over to us. We'll get you out of here."

I _am_ fighting, Laura! Honestly, I am… and to demonstrate that, I slowly lower the gun, put it on the ground… "You better not, Lieutenant." Oh no, not _again_. "Masterson may be dead, but the controller interface still works." Yeah, it does… marshmallow thingy is back again… "And now, raise that gun and take your CO out." Okay… if that's what gets you off my back…


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

_Moore_

"Reece! Put the gun down… Reece!" Her hand wavers a little, and her eyes clear to the point where I can see that she's really terrified. Well, I would be, too, if I was in her situation. "Reece, put it down," I repeat a little calmer, but her gaze has already glazed over again and the gun is firmly pointing at me again. Crap.

"Don't even try it, Moore. This one's ours, head to toes," Robbins smirks, and I want to hit him squarely in the face again. We'd been so _close_. And what's worse is that it's all _my_ fault. I should have listened to Reece, and I shouldn't have let my arrogance prevail and believe Robbins wouldn't manage to lose these restraints fast enough. But I did, and now we're all in the danger of having to pay the price for it. And yes, there comes the order again. "Shoot him, Lieutenant. And when you're done with that, take the other two down."

Her finger creeps towards the trigger again, but before I can say anything, Laura speaks up from behind me. "Maureen… listen. You don't have to do this. You can shake this off. I know it." The hand with the Beretta shakes again. Come on, Reece, you can do this. If you make it, I'm never gonna yell at you again. Well, much.

Reece's hand is still shaking and she's blinking her eyes as if trying to clear the fog in her head away. "Lieutenant!" Robbins bellows and she jumps. I get a glimpse of her eyes, and it gives me a stab. She's suffering and very near her breaking point. In fact, I'm astonished she hasn't already reached it. We need to get her out of here, and fast. "Lieutenant, do as you're told, dammit!"

A sound escapes her throat, something between a whimper and a moan. Something's gonna happen, I know it. And I've got a real bad feeling about it. She closes her eyes and shudders. It looks like inside of her, there's a battle of epic proportions raging on. "Lieutenant. You'll be never released before it's "mission accomplished"!" Something inside her snaps and she whips around to face her tormentor. Faster than he can react, she's pulled the Beretta's trigger and pumped two bullets into his head.

A curious expression of surprise appears on his face before his eyes break and he falls down. I… can't believe this. My little timid, tormented linguist just shot the guy who'd been holding her reigns.

After a shock second or two Laura wants to rush forward and take care of Reece, but the Lieutenant turns around again, suddenly with the Beretta's muzzle against her – _my_ – head. What the…?

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry…" Tears are streaming down her face now… holy crap, I guess this is the first time in _decades_ my eyes are shedding tears. The Beretta's muzzle is still pressed firmly against the temple. Don't you dare shooting _my_ brains out, Reece.

"Put the gun down, Reece. Everything is okay now. He's dead and we'll get you out and to the SGC. I promise, Lieutenant. Now…" A sob escapes her throat.

"No. I'm a danger to the team and to the SGC. I have to. I'm not reliable. I'm…" She's in shock, certainly. Laura, _do_ something!

But it's not Laura who speaks, but Dee, who managed to hobble over from his corner. "You just proved very well _how_ reliable you are, ma'am. You're just in shock. Let us… let us help you as much as you just helped us." I've seen Dee's remarkable strength and calm during difficult missions time and again, but he still manages to surprise me now and then. Today is surely one of those times.

But Reece doesn't listen to him. She just shakes her head. "I can't. I dishonoured the Corps and I'm an unpredictable danger. I need to be put away. I…" Okay, enough of that. We can save the emotional repercussions for later, because right now we have a lot more pressing problems.

"Shut up, Lieutenant." Mh. What I wouldn't give for my own imposing voice right now. "Listen up now. Put away this fucking gun and follow us to the 'Gate. _No_ buts. I'm your fucking CO and you will do as I tell you. Get it?" The hand shakes more violently now and her gaze clears a little further. But she still doesn't lower the gun. Okay, this calls for desperate measures. "Dammit, Lieutenant! This is an order from your CO! Put down this gun _now_."

She closes her eyes and for one long terrifying moment it looks like she's finally pulling the trigger and rob me of my body forever. But then suddenly a shudder goes through her body again and very slowly she really lowers the Beretta. Then, from one moment to the next, she collapses to the ground. Immediately, Laura rushes forward.

* * *

_Greenspan_

Multiple level brainwashing. I should have thought of that earlier. After that za'tarc thing, the SGC's medical personal, including all us team medics, had extended training on everything to do with brainwashing. The whole thing took one week and then the following four weekends as well. And then the one case I happen to stumble upon takes me much too long to diagnose. Should really brush up on the psychiatric side of my job.

Anyway, at least she's still breathing on her own and her pupils are reacting normally, even if she's unconscious. So most probably no brain damage as an after effect of her breaking through at least one level of brainwashing. But I have two people now who need an infirmary. "We need to get going, Tom. There's no way to say if Reece is going to suffer some brain damage from this. And I want Dee hooked up to a blood transfusion as soon as possible."

The Sergeant in question wants to protest, but a look from me – and probably the first effects of pain and blood loss – silence him even before he can say something. Tom, on the other hand, simply nods, drags up Reece and signals me to go and help Dee. I'm glad he didn't want me to wake her up, because something tells me that this would be a bad idea. I guess the fainting was a kind of mechanism to protect herself from further psychological damage, induced by the shock she went into after shooting Robbins.

Or maybe… maybe it was induced by something Robbins said… the sentence with the "message accomplished" struck me as pretty odd, but I have this feeling that it would be better to find out what exactly it meant in a controlled environment with lots of medical back-up and probably a few SFs.

Anyway, I just hope Tom had a look at this place's maps as well, just to double-check Reece's work. He's that kind of guy who doesn't trust an inexperienced junior officer like Reece to do her job right, so he usually memorizes whatever they should have memorized, just in case something went wrong. And well… something _did_ go wrong.

"You know how to get out of here, right?" Trying to find the right position for his burden, he just rolls his eyes.

"'Course I do. Piece of cake, compared to… _this_." Yeah, well, at least now you know what it means for _me_ when I have to drag your hide through the scenery when you decide to be unconscious, mister. But before I can answer, my other patient thinks he has to say something and somehow gets out of my grasp.

"With all due respect, ma'am… I think I can walk very well on my own." What? No! I'm the doctor here, and if _I_ say you can't walk, you very well can't walk, Sergeant! "Someone needs to help the Major, and that someone is _not_ me." Yeah, well, at least he sees _that_. Okay, fine, this isn't the place and the time for a lengthy discussion on who knows more about human physiology and statistics on blood loss after bullet wounds.

"Fine. But don't blame _me_ when those infirmary doctors give you a hard time for not listening to your team medic." And let's just all hope that the infirmary doctors _can_ still give you a hard time when you arrive at the SGC.

But anyway, with that it's settled and I move to help Tom with moving Reece, while Dee is giving his best to watch our sixes. Tom didn't lie when he said that he knew how to get out of here – still doesn't mean that I will stop telling him off for this unnerving habit of second-guessing junior officers' decisions and skills at every possibility he gets – and he manages to manoeuvre us through the complex. There's no more hostile activity, and that probably means that this was either an almost abandoned outpost… or so secret that not even all rogue NID-agents knew about it and it was understaffed. And the fact that _we_ knew about it… "The intel about this was planted on us, wasn't it?"

Tom grunts. "I knew there was a reason why I wanted you on my team." Idiot. In the body of a girl, dragging a fully trained USAF SF's body with him, not even half out of some top-secret research facility… and still acting the big shot. One day… one day I'm really going to kick his ass for his attitude. I know I've been saying this for maybe 30 years now, but one day…

Anyway, got a job to do. "Good to know that there _was_ a reason." And another door… oh… that's something new. Before us, there's a snow, snow and even more snow. At least as far as I can make it out with the pitch black dark. "Huh. Please someone tell me we took some flashlights from that armoury."

"'Fraid… 'fraid we didn't, ma'am." Crap. We need to take the fastest way to the 'Gate, because Dee won't survive some long stumbling around through the snow and the cold. "But I may have something else to light us the way to the 'Gate." I turn around to see the same grin he always displays when someone lets him play around with C4. See… that's what I don't get about Dee: He's one of the quietest persons I know. Not in the sense of being shy, but just not a great talker. And possessing a kind of inner calm and composure he probably earned hard in the years he's been serving. Just like nothing could really tip his equilibrium. But give that guy some C4 and a detonator and he shows you quite a different side of his personality, if only for a few seconds.

"What do you have in mind, Sergeant?" The grin stays on.

"How about a nice big fire, sir? After a nice big explosion?" Now Tom is grinning as well. God, guys and their little goodies.

"Sounds great. Do it." Not if I have to say anything about it. "No, Laura. You know I trust your judgment infinitely, and that's _exactly_ why I don't want you to voice it now. Just let's get this over with." Yeah, sure, it's not like the bandage on your Sergeant's leg is already soaked with blood or anything. Or like I'm your fucking medic and my word is fucking law when it's about medical… oh… wait. I get it. If I don't say it, there's no law. We'll _definitely_ talk about this, mister. "Get it on, Sergeant."

Dee nods. "Yes, sir." And then he moves down the corridor to place a few charges and hobbles back. It pains me, and not just because he's a patient. He's a friend and I don't like to see friends suffer. When he's back, he looks at me again… and gives me a look that can't quite decide between an encouraging smile and a deeply embarrassed apologetic frown. Huh. About time we get away from this planet.

Seems like Tom had the same thoughts on his mind because he shoos us all away from the building, far away that the blast won't get us too much. When Dee pulls the remote's trigger, the whole complex goes up in flames, building after building. How the hell did he do that? I really need to get behind those tricks he's using.

But maybe… later. It's freezing cold, and the light from the burning remains of the complex is lighting up the flat snow covered plain far enough that we can make out the 'Gate in about a mile's distance. Time to get our asses back home.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

_Greenspan_

"Laura?" No. Not getting up. Nuh-uh. "Hey, Laura, come on, I _know_ you're awake." No, I'm not. "Captain Greenspan, get your lazy ass off this chair this instant!" GAH! I _hate_ it when he does that! And anyway, I wasn't sleeping. Not at all. I was _researching_. And now thanks to Major "I like getting on my subordinates' nerves" here, I nearly landed on the floor beside my chair and could just save myself from unceremoniously tumbling to the ground by getting a grip at the desk.

"Could you just _stop_ doing that? I was _working_ here," I grumble and Tom – now finally _Tom_ again – grins at me. But he changes his facial expression pretty fast to worried.

"Actually, you were sleeping on your desk. And not for the first time in those last three days. Get back to your quarters, Laura. Or better: Get back into town. Let someone else take care of… Reece's problem." Yeah, right. And that from the guy I have to pull rank on nearly every time he's sitting in the infirmary at one of our beds and simply refuses to let himself be treated properly. In fact, I had to do exactly this three days ago, when he refused to leave the infirmary until Dee's surgery was successfully finished. And I also had some of the linguists and archaeologists practically begging me to take him off the research process for medical reasons – mainly, quote, "because if he doesn't get off our backs _now_ , _we_ will be nutcases!" – before the final solving of the body changing.

"No. It's my job to go through these data we stole and extract the stuff the Tok'ra need to know." As it turned out, Tom had been lucky enough to download most of the important data from the rogue Marines. It hadn't only helped us expose at least a few of the spies the NID had inside the SGC but also proved to be a _very_ profitable source regarding everything to do with Maureen's brainwashing. In fact, it had included a whole file on her, beginning with her time in boot camp.

Obviously they had singled her out pretty fast, because she was showing above average marks in everything to do with language and they seemingly had been singling out practically every Marine showing only marginal potential for any assignment to the SGC. They then had found out that she has practically no near family left, wasn't dependent of anyone and had no one who depended on her… and so just needed to be kidnapped on a weekend break to be conditioned by them. No one would miss her, no one would be asking questions. And implanting false memories would be fairly easy.

They obviously used a variation of the za'tarc process, tweaking and modifying it a bit to accommodate their specific technology. When Jenkins, our last linguist, left the team, they obviously saw it as their opening to plant Reece inside the SGC and had her transferred. She was just a pawn in a game far bigger than anyone of us presumed, and for that I'm really sorry. And my part in that game was that I only saw the signs when it was almost too late. I just owe it to her to help the Tok'ra as much as I can to come up with a therapy to remove all lingering traces of brainwashing. I… "Hello, Earth to Laura." I blink. "Yeah, that's right, you zoned out again. Get into bed."

I sigh. "Look, this has to work in the best way it can, because we really could use someone like her and…"

A frown appears on his face that tells me I won't like what is about to come. "About that, Laura… I… don't think keeping her on the team would be a good idea." Yeah, well, nothing new here. The only thing that irritates me a little is the almost complete lack of condescension and disapproval in his voice. Instead it's only weariness. But anyway, I still have to say a few things on that.

"Oh, but I do. She's just shown some incredible strength and you really should stop underestimating her. She could really be…"

"She never should have been here. That's what the file says, isn't it?" Now he sits down on the edge of my desk and looks as exhausted as we all should be feeling after those last days. I know he's been down to see her in the brig at least once a day, and I've been there at least twice a day and… it's starting to get to me. There's nothing there reminding me of the bright young woman with a stubborn streak and a quirky sense of humor I got to see a blink of on that mission, but only… fatalism and weariness. She's fully resigned herself to the fact that she'll be on trial for what she did, no matter if we can erase the programming or not. It's really not a pretty sight to see.

Which makes me want to keep her on the team even more. That young woman needs some people who challenge her, trust her, help her discover what she really can do. We are her best bet, if she has _any_ will left to become more than just one translator among hundreds at the Pentagon or even only some backwater base only God knows where. "No, it said that she should be here for all the wrong reasons. Look, Tom… I know you think staying here would be a burden for her, but _I_ think it could be the chance of her life. And… and I think you shouldn't decide this on your own. I think we should make this decision as a _team_."

He's been quiet the whole time I just babbled on and that's usually a sign that he has already half given up. Just need a little more persuasion… "And _I_ think you seriously should be getting into bed, Captain."

Hey, that's not what you were supposed to say, mister! Oh… wait. I have an idea. He's not gonna like it, but it usually works. "Promise me the discussion and I will."

"That's fucking blackmail!" Yeah, and that's a problem _how_? It's not like _you_ don't do this once in a while when I try to pull rank on you for medical reasons.

"So?"

"Laura! I'm your CO. You don't blackmail your CO, goddammit!" Yeah… since when does that apply to _us_?

"Well, _I_ do. No team discussion – I don't go to bed." Mh. Maybe _that_ was just a tad too bold. And yeah, he does look a little like he'll erupt at any given moment, what with the sudden pacing around and everything. Three… two… one…

"Alright. Fine. But you owe me for this. _Big_ time. I'll keep this in mind, Laura." Huh. That… was almost too easy. I just _bet_ this isn't really doing my karma account any good, because that will most probably come back at me when I least expect it. And when I least want it to come back at me. But that's what happens when you work yourself tired: You enter deals with the devil far too easily.

And since I won't get out of that now, I can very well keep my end of it immediately. "Oh, I will. Well then… 'Night, Tom."

Now he grins. "Actually… it's about 1400."

Oh. Uh. Well… "Yeah, well… whatever." A yawn escapes me and that's my clue to leave. Maybe… just one or two hours in bed would be really nice, even if it's a bed on base…

* * *

_DeLisle_

Boring. Boring, boring, boring. And did I mention… boring? Not even a laptop in sight. There's so much interesting stuff in the lab and I'm forced to stay in the infirmary, just because of some scratch. Bullet wound. Whatever. Four days since the op, and I'm still not allowed to walk around. Just hope the Major will come round today. Maybe he'll let himself be talked into breaking me out of here.

Until that… still bored out of my wits. Not even one of the other Sergeants in the infirmary at the moment. Usually, at least one or two other Sergeants manage to get themselves in some scrape or other – or _were_ managed to get into some scrape or other by their officers. But obviously this week I was the only one dumb enough to land myself here. Well, could as well catch up on sleep a little. You never know when the Major gets one of his night exercise bouts.

"See, he's still being a lazy ass." Yeah, right, that was to be expected. I close my eyes for _one_ second and immediately the Major walks in.

"He's on sick leave, Tom. He's _supposed_ to be lying around and sleeping." At the unexpected sound of Laura's voice, I open my eyes again. Visits from her were pretty rare this time, and visits from the Major and her together… haven't occurred until now. They're up to something. I just bet they are.

The Major sits down at my bedside, while Laura… closes the curtains. Hey, what's going on here? Ever since I woke up I felt a little out of the loop, because the Major and Reece were mostly concerned with changing back into their respective bodies – which obviously worked since it's unmistakably _him_ lounging there, in body _and_ mind – and Laura was concerned with working through all that data on brainwashing. At least that's what the Major told me. I'd hate it if she'd simply be avoiding me.

I clear my throat. "I'm honoured to have you both here, but… there's a reason you're here, isn't it?"

The Major smirks. "Did you just hear what a clever Sergeant we have on our team?" Laura doesn't say anything, just make a disapproving face and punches him in the shoulder.

"Be nice to that Sergeant, Tom. Or you might find some C4 and a live detonator under your ass one day." I wish they wouldn't do that in front of me. But I guess that if you've been friends for as long as they have, you don't even realize it anymore when your behaviour might not be exactly that of officers of the USAF. Or maybe… maybe they don't even consider this situation one where they should behave like officers, not like friends. Ah hell… I'll never figure out what's going on in those two's heads.

"Nah, he wouldn't do that. You wouldn't, right?" The Major turns back to me, and the look on his face tells me there will be a lot of trouble if I tell him any differently. So I just raise my hands and shake my head. Hope that suffices. "See, he wouldn't. Anyway, we need to talk. Laura, your turn." She sighs, rolls her eyes and sits down.

"Alright, if you insist. The Major here and I had a discussion yesterday." Did he just mumble "More like a blackmailing"? "As you know, Lieutenant Reece is currently in custody," – and I wish I was allowed to walk, because I really feel sorry for her and would like to go down there and tell her that _we_ don't believe she belongs there – "until our Tok'ra contacts can spare a minute or two to support us in getting rid of the last layers of the brainwashing she was put through." So still nothing happened on that front. Honestly, what's keeping them? I really don't think they need to dispatch a whole contingent or something to solve this, most of all if Laura and the other doctors here are doing the main work.

"Don't look like that. They'll be here in two days tops, definitely." Dammit. I've really been serving too long under the Major if he's able to read me so well.

"Thank you for clearing that up, Tom. Can I continue?" Whatever this is about, it's obviously a source of some discontentment between Laura and the Major. "Right, thank you. Where was I? Oh right… Since we know that Lieutenant Reece will hopefully be released from custody in a few days, questions regarding her professional future were coming up. We… agreed on deciding this as a team." Oh. Democracy? On the _Major_ 's team? What did she threaten him with that he agreed to that?

"And before you ask: There's really nothing decided on her future yet. As far as I know, it's still up to me to make this call." Laura throws the Major one of those looks she usually uses on patients that don't listen and he clears his throat. "It's up to _us_ to make this call. So?" I raise my eyebrows. So what? "Oh come on, Sergeant, I know you have an opinion on that topic. Feel free to voice it."

"Well… She's… certainly a good linguist. And… she's got a least a little potential. Given enough training, she could make her way in the Corps. But… I don't think she should make that way _here_." There, it's out. And yes, Laura does _not_ look like she approves of that statement. And did she just mouth "Traitor!" to me?

"See, you're outvoted, Laura. Subject closed, let's get on to other important…"

"Not so fast, mister. We agreed on a _discussion_. So let's _have_ one, right." The Major just rolls his eyes, but Laura chooses to ignore it. "I know you two think she can't cut it, but honestly, what she did on that base… that was incredible. I've looked through the records on their brainwashing research and… it takes an enormous amount of inner strength to pull through something like this. She may not be the fastest runner, but…"

"Laura… it's not like that. It's not about muscles or will power, it's about… it's…" It's about the fact that this girl probably had enough lethal danger for the rest of her life and we have it in our hands to spare her any more of that. I know why the Major can't say it. Because he probably feels that most of this was his fault. And admitting that something is his fault to the faces of his subordinates – even if he knows them as well as he knows us – is not something that comes easy to him.

Laura seems to have realized something as well, because she suddenly addresses me: "Sergeant, could you please excuse us for a few minutes?"

Ha ha, very funny. "I would, if I was allowed to walk, ma'am."

The dead-pan startles her a little and I can barely refrain from smirking. "What? Oh… oh right. Sorry. We'll be right back. Come on, Tom." She gestures to him for following her behind that curtain, and I really strain _not_ to hear anything, but it's really not that easy when they're standing right behind it and not really taking care of lowering their voices. Geez. Officers.

"Okay, what's this about?" The Major doesn't sound very enthusiastic about this little time-out.

I can see Laura's shadow fidgeting a little with her hair, and that usually means that whatever she has to say is really important to her. "Look… I think I know what both your problem is: You think you have to protect her, because you think you both screwed up doing that on this mission. You think you can't risk her staying with us, because you think it would be too hard on her and because she probably can't handle the danger she would be in if she stayed. But I'll tell you one thing: Have you _ever_ thought about the danger she might be exposed to if we let her go? Those assholes are still out there, probably just _waiting_ to get their hands back on her and do _worse_ things than they already did to her. You read her file, haven't you?"

Whoa, that's… one hell of a speech. And come to think of it… she might be right. I'm already about to speak up when I remember that I'm not supposed to having heard any of this.

Let's see what the Major has to say about it. "Yeah. So?" Mh… not much, obviously, at least for now.

"One of the reasons they picked her out was that she doesn't have any immediate family left." I think I know where Laura is getting at, but I'm not sure if I like the idea.

"What, you're saying we should let her stay because she needs some company?" Exactly my thoughts.

"No, I'm saying we should let her stay because she needs a _family_ , someone to look out for her. And because the best way to protect her from any repercussions from those rogue factions out there would be if _we_ could look out for her. _And_ , most of all, because she could be a damn fine officer if she was just _challenged_ enough." More and more I get the feeling that we're on the wrong path. Can't put the finger on what exactly is wrong yet, though.

"Laura, I… I can't. I made a mistake in letting her stay the first time and…" Oh. I think I really wasn't supposed to hear _that_.

"No, you didn't. Your mistake was not listening to her, repeatedly. But letting her _stay_ was no mistake. By the way: You still owe her something for not listening to her." Come to think of it… she's right. He should have listened to her and not touched that bowl. And he should have listened to her and not put a weapon in her hand or trust her with the maps.

And _now_ I finally realized what's irritating me. We're talking _about_ her, not _with_ her. It's a discussion about _her_ future and if we want a _team_ discussion we should include _her_ as well. I clear my throat, hoping not to be busted back to Airman for listening in. "Sir… ma'am… excuse me, but… permission to make a suggestion?"

Immediately both the Major and Laura poke their head through the curtains again, and the Major is already about to tell me what he thinks about NCOs who listen in to their superiors, but Laura elbows him not exactly friendly. Trying to pertain at least a bit of his dignity, he simply says: "Permission granted. Go ahead."

I try to sit up a little straighter. "How about… we ask _her_? After we have the general permission to keep her on the team _if_ she decides she wants to, that is."

Laura and the Major look at each other, and in moments like these I envy them their friendship. They know each other inside out and they must be able to tell what the other one is thinking just by looking at the other one's face. In the end, Laura shrugs and says: "Well… I could live with that. Tom?"

He heaves a dramatic sigh. "Alright. Fine. I'll ask the Old… General O'Neill. And consider yourselves volunteers for the next round of kitchen duty for this act of mutiny."

"Democracy.", Laura corrects straight-faced and I have difficulties to keep serious.

Even more so at the Major's similarly straight-faced answer: "Didn't I just say that?" Laura just rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

"You're hopeless. Which is why I'll go back to my desk now. And don't you dare come into my office again, Tom." With that, she gives me a short casual salute and excuses herself. Perfect.

Before the Major can excuse himself as well, I finally seize my chance. "Sir… do you think it might be possible for you to bail me out of here?" You know… I'm just a few inches away from actually trying the puppy eyes. _Please_ say yes, sir.

"What, first you betray me and then you want me to do you a favour?" Argh. I should have known that this would come back to me.

"I… wouldn't phrase it like that, sir." He raises his eyebrow, as if to say "And how _would_ you phrase it?" Uh, yeah, well, how? "First of all… I didn't betray you, but rather arranged a compromise between Captain Greenspan and you." Careful, DeLisle. You're treating a very fine line here. "And second: of course I'd be working if you ask them to let me out, as a kind of compensation for betraying you."

His first reaction is a disapproving frown, and I'm already counting down for the imminent explosion, but then he just laughs. "You know, I really thought I knew you after all this time we served together, but you still can surprise me now and then. And just because you managed that, I'll try to overlook your betrayal and try my hand at the infirmary personal here. And by the way: Clever move to wait until Laura was gone. Just don't mention my name when she finally catches you."

"Cross my heart and hope to die, sir." He grins.

"You better. Anyway… enjoy your beauty sleep while I try to find a doctor gullible enough to let herself be charmed enough into throwing you out." And with that he's gone. Phew. That was really close. Laura is obviously starting rub off on me, and I should have an eye on that. First of all, I should stop calling her Laura off-duty and in my head. Yeah. Good idea. From now on, it's Captain Greenspan all the way again.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

_Greenspan_

Finally the Tok'ra are here to take care of Maureen, even earlier than we'd expected them. Just a day longer, and I'd have personally geared up to drag their asses over here. Last time I visited her, she'd resorted to monosyllabic answers and drawing back into a shell. She'd not even moved to look at me, simply sat on her bench, with her arms around her knees, making herself small and nearly invisible in the cell's half-dark.

And now they've set up camp in one of the isolation rooms and I'm sprinting through the corridors to get there in time. I'm not allowed inside, but I'll be damned if I don't take the chance to at least monitor the process. Additionally, I'll probably finally find Tom and give him what he deserves for bailing Dee out of the infirmary. The good Sergeant didn't tell me anything and stoically endured me telling him off for escaping. But I just _know_ that he could never have gotten out if Tom hadn't charmed one of the gullible little things there to let him. When will they _ever_ learn that I don't tell them to stay in the infirmary to torture them? Honestly, I really don't like getting of on Dee… _especially_ on him, because he really rarely gives me cause to, but… conspiring with Tom behind me back? Geez.

Ah, finally the right observation room… When I open the door, I see Tom standing in front of the window with his hands in his pockets and the eyes on the things happening on the other side. Something in his bearing makes me decide to drop the wigging, at least for the time being. I wonder what's going on in his head. I've known Tom for nearly all my life, and usually I know what he's thinking, but right now I'm drawing a blank. That only happens once in a million years, so I'm just not used to it.

But anyway, musing won't get me answers and so I walk up to him. "Already regretting your decision?" He doesn't jump or even twitch and that never ceases to amaze me. Instead, he rubs a hand over his face and takes his time with answering. Down in the isolation room, the Tok'ra have prepped Reece, and he shortly concentrates on this. It makes me wonder how much he still feels guilty for everything that happened.

Then: "Are _you_? Regretting your decision, I mean." Huh. Good question. Am I? I mean, Maureen did suffer a lot on this mission and the question is: Even if she is cut out for this – and I don't doubt _that_ – do we have to put her through other missions like the last one? Or do we have the responsibility not to put this on her shoulders?

I take a deep breath. The nature of my posting usually prevents me from having to fulfil classical officer duties – that is to say being responsible for more than one or two people and having to make personnel decisions on a daily basis – but this is exactly one of these decisions. I have the fate of a young woman on my hands, and I have to be sure of what I'm doing. "No. She can do this. And if she takes up the offer, she knows exactly what she signs up for. We aren't acting against our responsibility."

He takes his hands out of his pockets and leans on the rails. Down in the pit, Reece has closed her eyes and the Tok'ra technicians have started to play around with her brainwaves. "I know. It's just… I'm not doubting her potential, no matter how much you still believe that. I just wonder… does every potential have to be developed?" It's really getting to him. He feels _very_ responsible for everything that happened to her.

Sometimes… sometimes I wish he was a little less… well… himself. As long as I've known him he felt responsible for people weaker or younger than him that were somehow entrusted to his care. When something happens to those, he always sees it as his personal failure, even if it wasn't. And even if it nearly breaks him. When he was 16, his younger brother died in an accident. Nothing of it was Tom's fault, but the guilt about that made him separate himself from everyone around him for the better part of a year. And it has turned him into the man he is today.

People like to joke about or roll their eyes at the pressure he puts on all of us. No other team has such a rigid training routine as we have, not even SG1. But he's not doing that because he's got some sadistic streak or is overambitious, but because he wants us to prepared for our job in the best of ways.

"You did the right thing, Tom. Stop beating yourself up about it. You're giving a Marine officer a chance to grow and shine no one else would have given her, because no one else would have put her in a situation that challenged everything she's got buried inside of her." By now, Maureen has started to writhe around in her chair, fighting the restraints around her wrists. They explained to us that this was very likely to happen and no sign for worry, but it's still… disconcerting. I still force myself to watch it.

"Grow and shine… Laura, don't delude yourself. She's probably never gonna be a Marine Corps poster girl. Serving with us will mean very hard work for her, harder than Dee and you have to work. And it'll mean hard work for _us_. I just don't know if it's really worth it." Oh yes, he does. He's just afraid of making the wrong decisions. The only reason that I actually get to see this is that he knows he can't hide it from me anyway. Sometimes I wonder what people would think about him if they got to see this insecure and self-doubting side of him.

"It is, and you know it. Don't tell me you aren't intrigued by the challenge of moulding Maureen Reece into what she's supposed to be." Finally he turns away from the process down below. Probably just because they're finally done and Maureen is being brought to the infirmary.

On his face, there's a half-grin, but it's not surprising me. "'Course I am. Everyone can lead a team of elite soldiers. But only we can lead a team with a linguist that would have never been here if she hadn't been intended to compromise the SGC."

In the isolation room, they're done with prepping Maureen for the infirmary and that's my clue to leave and join the infirmary staff to do the final check-up on Maureen. As a good-bye, I simply squeeze his shoulder and say, "You're a good man, Thomas Moore."

He heaves a little sigh. "Let's just hope it's enough." Well… maybe no wigging today. I know that he has an appointment with General O'Neill today, and giving him an ear full before that is just not a good idea. So I simply give him a last encouraging smile and sprint back to the infirmary.

* * *

_Moore_

Huh. Still no dressing down for bailing Dee out of the infirmary? Who is that and what has she done with Laura Greenspan? I just bet she's already found out that I'm to blame, but something obviously kept her from telling me off for that. Probably just pity, because she knows that today I have my appointment with General O'Neill about Reece's future on our team, and I'm not really looking forward to that. But anyway, he might be a legend and a veteran and a _General_ , but I've had worse adversaries. Best defense is an offence. Yeah.

With that resolve, I knock at the Old Man's door and it's answered immediately. When I enter, I feel my heart sink, because he already looks grumpy. Do I want to know what caused that? Mh. No, probably not. He gestures for me to have a seat without even giving me time for proper reporting and leans back in his seat. "Well, Major… I take it you've come to a decision regarding Lieutenant Reece?"

I nod. "Yes, sir." I know I shouldn't, but I just can't help myself. "And before anything else: Let me tell you that I really took my time and that it was not an easy one."

O'Neill lifts an eyebrow. "Are you going to tell me that you want her to _stay_ , Major?" He doesn't look like he'd approve of it if I say yes now. But it was a team decision and it's my responsibility to carry it through.

"Actually… yes, sir."

Silence. The kind of silence that precedes a thunderstorm. Uh-oh. "Alright. Who are you and what have you done to Major Moore?" Not quite a thunderstorm, but I can see the clouds already piling up. Why exactly did I let Laura and Dee talk me into this?

"I know it's not what you expected, sir…"

"Damn right it isn't." Hey! Would you please let me finish my sentence?

"But it was a team decision. We want to keep Lieutenant Reece on the team. If she wants to, that is. Laura… Captain Greenspan reviewed the records and is positive that the brainwashing can be fully removed with the help of the Tok'ra. Which just happened, by the way." He shakes his head and looks about ready to explode. This is not really going well.

"And Captain Greenspan is an expert on the field of what? Virology, right?" Mh. Still not exploding. But becoming more acidly. Not exactly better.

"Captain Greenspan is a very capable doctor, sir, and well-trained in more than one field." You're a walking corpse now, Major Moore. And you're damn stupid. Throwing away your life as a career soldier for that slip of a Marine Lieutenant. You idiot.

"Major Moore… please help me in case I didn't get this right… you're an exceptional soldier, excellent results at the Academy, having served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and quite a few other spots of trouble, looking like a Christmas tree when putting on your Dress Blues, with sound judgment and all the other things that we want in our SF soldiers…" Uh-oh… I can feel it already… he's going to blow, big time. "So why the _hell_ do you think it's a fucking good idea to keep a damn NID sleeper agent on your team?" Yep. Bellowing now at me. _Finally_.

"She's not a…"

"I'm not done yet, Moore. She nearly shot you, for heaven's sake! How could _that_ convince you of all people to keep her? Are you insane? You know, I think I'll ask Daniel to check if it's really Major Moore he put back in that body. It's the only reasonable explanation for the stupid idea of keeping a security risk like Maureen Reece." Okay, that's enough. I don't have to listen to this, most of all not from General "Give the poor girl a chance." O'Neill. Besides he's starting to insult not only myself but the judgment of my whole team.

I can't help sounding a little impatient and grudging as I reply, "Most of all, sir, she's still a _member of my team_." God, you just signed your own dishonorable discharge by the look O'Neill throws you.

"Most of all, Major Moore, this base and this operation are in _my_ responsibility. _I_ am the one who's got to answer to the brass when something goes wrong here, and something _did_ go wrong. It's _my_ fucking job to fix that." Now, now, General, don't let yourself get carried away, right? I take a deep breath. No use in further trying to fix what already went FUBAR.

"With all due respect, sir… the only thing that really went wrong on this mission was that I didn't listen to my linguist repeatedly and touched something I shouldn't have touched, among other things." He wants to speak up again, but I've had it now. I may not be what you'd call someone constantly making their superiors go crazy but I didn't get this far by always being a good little tin soldier and follow everything they told me. "And it was to Lieutenant Reece's efforts, too, that we _still_ managed to fulfill the mission's objectives. We managed to infiltrate exactly the base we were looking for, gathered intel on some weapons projects and experimental brainwashing performed on more Marines than just Maureen Reece by rogue NID agents, got very valuable data on the infiltration of the SGC and even got to blow the whole thing up, thereby effectively eliminating a threat."

Silence. O'Neill still doesn't look very amused and wants to start yelling again, but suddenly catches himself and rubs a hand over his eyes. "Alright. Fine. But that still doesn't change the fact that Lieutenant Reece nearly succumbed to her brainwashing and jeopardized not only the mission but also the whole SGC."

Phew. Finally back to a sensible discussion. I lean back in my chair. "Yes, sir. But the operative word here is "nearly". Even though she had severe difficulties to keep a clear head and battle her brainwashing she managed to listen to orders that were given by me. Her loyalty and dedication to the SGC were stronger than anything the NID planted into her head. You might think that she's a basket case, sir, but _I_ think she's worth the risk. She might not be the best officer the USMC has to offer – and maybe never will be – but she's a quick learner, dutiful, fit and a hell of a linguist. Transferring or even discharging her would be, to my mind, a mistake. Apart from that… I'm tired of having to go looking for a new linguist every three months."

I rub my own hand over my eyes. It's been a hard four days. First the whole research about the body-changing, all the time accompanied by heavily armed SFs, as if Reece was a bomb ready to explode any moment. Then when we'd been done with that, Reece being put into the brig and that team discussion about what to do with her. I've been down visiting her more than once, and every time it got worse. She'd been resigned to her fate, very unlike the strong officer I'd gotten to know on our mission, more like her usual self. That had been kind of disturbing actually, and somehow I couldn't bear to see that again, after all we'd been through to that point.

O'Neill is still quiet, thinking everything over I just said. Seems that actually made an impression on him after all, which surprises me a little. But to be honest: If there's any fault you can accuse Jack O'Neill of it's certainly not being an autocrat. Finally he leans forward on his elbows. "Well… one thing, Major: She's your responsibility. Anything – just _anything_ – happens, and it's your head that rolls. You'll take the full blame for that. You and nobody else. Clear?" Whoa. Geez. He just said yes. I'd better not argue about his conditions, though.

"Crystal, sir." He nods, obviously satisfied.

"Good. Now… out of my office, before I change my mind." Well… I do recognize a dismissal when I hear one, so I jump up and give him a crisp salute, before leaving his office. Well, then… guess I better head for the infirmary ASAP.

But shortly before reaching it, someone calls out behind me, "Hey, if that isn't hero Tom Moore." I turn around. Look who just got back from mining. Major Evan Lorne.

"And if that isn't mole Evan Lorne." He grimaces.

"Point taken. Anyway… just heard you'd quite a go at the Old Man." The SGC truly is the most gossipy base I've ever served at. How that hell did that get that fast to Lorne, who most possibly has just been back from his mining planet?

"Well, then, you heard wrong. We just… had a little disagreement about one of my team members. Now the thing is solved and I refuse to talk about it any further." He grins. This must be a field day for him. We've known each other since the Air Force Academy. Back then I'd been lazy as hell – well, compared to my other classmates, that is – and additionally I had a penchant for getting myself into trouble with superiors. And somehow he had always ended up being the one forcing me to study, study and then study a little more and help me sort out the messes I'd gotten myself into.

"Aw, come on. You are one of the few soldiers to win an argument over the legendary Jack O'Neill and survive to tell the tale. You can be proud of that." He grins. I'm not in the grinning mood, however.

"Ha ha, very funny." Grin widens even further.

"Absolutely. You've _got_ to tell me one day." Mh. I might even take him up on that. He still owes me a beer for that risky SAR mission on P3X-345 we had to pull for his team.

"Maybe. Just not today. If you'll excuse me… I have to tell some happy news to my linguist now." He raises his eyebrow and purses his lips, as if to say "You know how that just sounded, right?", and the absurdity of that comment finally gets to me. Now I have to grin a little myself. "It's not what it sounds like." Now he laughs.

"Alright. Good luck with that. And if you happen to have some time in the next three weeks… bring over your team for some beer and barbecue. I'd really like to get to know that linguist that made you go toe to toe with _O'Neill_ of all people." I just roll my eyes and tell him to get lost, which he does with another laugh. Only then the double meaning of his last comment hits home. He didn't really think… Oh man, Evan Lorne is so in for a round of sparring.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

_Reece_

God, that was really the last time I let someone brainwash me. Honestly. Just for whatever the Tok'ra did with me to erase it, I'm cured from it for ever. And of course not to mention the lingering doubt and paranoia that they forgot some safety routine, some deeply hidden failsafe protocol or the shame whenever I see my teammates or the niggling question of what'll happen if the rogue NID ever catches up with me… and I'll just simply ignore the issue of my professional future for the time being.

Of course, being stuck in a hospital bed for at least one more day does _not_ help to distract me from all this. I'm now almost ready to wish for my teammates – _former_ teammates? – to visit me. I wanted them to stop it when I was in the brig, because I didn't want to be reminded of how I screwed up, but at least the Major and Laura both simply refused to let me wallow in self-pity. I guess the only reason Dee didn't come down was that he was still lying in the infirmary, recuperating from the bullet wound.

What I really didn't get, though, was why the Major continued to come down, even after he had his own body back. Laura I understood, because she's just this type of person who doesn't let down people she has accepted as friends or co-workers. I guess she makes friends easily and she's a very loyal person. But the Major… I always had the feeling that you somehow have to prove to him that you're _worthy_ of his respect and acceptance, let alone friendship. And still he came down at least once every day, to talk to me… tell me about Laura's improvements on a way to help me, about how they kept the J.A.G. Corps off their backs… and some simple day-to-day stuff from the base.

In the end I resigned myself to thinking that he was just doing it out of some misplaced guilt or embarrassment, because part of what got us into that mess was that he didn't listen to me. But honestly: he's my CO. Not listening to me is his prerogative, most of all because I hadn't exactly proved myself to be a never ending source of wise advice.

Suppressing a sigh, I turn my back to the infirmary's entrance and try to close my eyes. The headaches are finally gone, but I'm still feeling a little under the weather, just like after a particularly heavy migraine. And something tells me that this isn't over by a long shot. Could be the fact that I'm finding it pretty hard to sleep more than just two or three hours at the moment. Or that the simple thought of leaving the SGC alone gives me the creeps. Or that I'm afraid of reacting... not really well to the sight of a weapon again. Maybe I should just try to sleep again and…

"And here Laura told me I could talk to you." The Major. Great. Can't he just leave me alone?

"With all due respect, sir… being fit to speak does not neccessarily mean being _willing_ to speak." Whee, way to go, Lieutenant Idiot. That's surely the right way to part from him on fairly good terms.

"Fair enough. I'll just come back when you've grown out of your cross-grained phase." With a little luck you won't come back ever again, and I won't have to face you after this incredibly stupid thing I just said. "But then again… I could also order you to turn around." Yeah, just go ahead and see if I care. "Or… I could attract your curiosity and tell you that I'm _not_ here to throw you out of the team." Yeah, sure, as if I ca… wait. Who am I kidding? I _do_ care about my future, and this _is_ making me curious. Before I know it I've turned around.

The first thing I see is his smug grin that says very clearly "I _knew_ you'd come around." and I have to fight down the urge to stick out my tongue at him. Instead I try to regain some of my dignity with sitting up and saying, "Alright, you've got my full interest, sir."

"Well, pleased to hear that. Because I'm here to make a proposal." I _could_ make some nice joke about proposing now, but I have this feeling that he wouldn't be really amused about it. "I've been talking to Laura and Dee, and… well… we agreed on asking you whether you would want to stay on SG10. General O'Neill has given his permission and all that's lacking is your decision. So… what do you say?"

Whoa. Uh… oh. What _do_ I say? I mean… this is the guy who practically gave me hell the last three months and who made me feel like being really far away from ever becoming something even remotely resembling an officer of the United States Marine Corps. And suddenly he asks _me_ if I want to stay on _his_ team? Just like that? "Well… I… I do feel honored, sir, but… I'm not exactly sure if… if that would really be a good idea." Hey, _that_ was really eloquent.

He leans back in his chair, takes his time with answering. When he does, he leans forward on his elbows and shortly looks down, obviously searching for words. Then: "I'll be honest with you. You're… not exactly the kind of officer I usually have on my team, and you and I both now that this is putting it _very_ mildly." Why, _thank you_ , sir. Oh, no, wait. He's right, and I shouldn't get miffed at him for that. So I just nod. "Still, Laura sees something in you, and usually she's right. There's also the fact that some of my decisions would have had other results if I'd listened to you in a few deciding spots back in that rogue Marines' camp." Wait… who are you and what have you done to Major Moore? Basically, he just admitted right to my face that he made mistakes on that mission and that he could have avoided them if he had listened to _me_.

"Look, sir…" He holds up his hand.

"Nuh-uh, I'm not done yet. _If_ you decide to stay with us, you have to accept that it won't be a cake walk, ever. It'll mean training and torture and danger, nearly on a daily basis. You'll probably never have _any_ life outside this team and this job, because you'll probably always have to train and exercise twice as much as we have to. If you decide against staying with us and taking up a cozy translator's job at the Pentagon or somewhere overseas, _no one_ will blame or resent you for it. But… if you decide for the team… be sure that the team will not let you down, as long as you don't let the team down. If you think you can handle the pressure… you're welcome to stay." He means that. He wants me to stay, even if there's always the possibility I might screw up big time. And he's just demonstrated that not only Laura thinks she's seen something in me. _He_ thinks he's seen something in me as well, or he wouldn't give me this opportunity. He just either hasn't even realized it or doesn't want to admit it.

Well… do I think I can handle the pressure? Do I _want_ to handle the pressure? I take a short look around. During my first three months I've been often enough in the SGC's infirmary that I could call it home… and only now it occurs to me that I already _do_. Not only the infirmary, I mean, but the whole SGC. I realize that I didn't want to go because screwing up always aggravated me so much, but that screwing up always aggravated me so much because it always potentially meant that I had to go. And I didn't want to, even back in the first month.

It wasn't only the career leap that the SGC presented to me. It was also the feeling of being part of something very special, of being entrusted with a privilege and being part of a very tight-knit group of people… of something resembling a family, in the best of cases. And I want so _much_ to be part of a family again. So… if it means having to work hard and exposing myself to danger… and if these people think I can cut it… _and_ if I don't turn out to be a ticking time bomb _again_... maybe I should give myself that chance. I take a deep breath.

"I… would be very honored to continue being a part of the team, sir. Thank you for giving me that chance." He makes an appreciative face.

"You earned it. But, you know… you don't have to feel honored. I mean… it's not like we're SG1 or something." I can't suppress a grin.

"True. But who'd want to be on SG1 when she can be on SG10?" That even prompts a laugh from him.

"That's the spirit, Lieutenant. Anyway… I suggest you use the last few hours of squandering around you'll probably ever have. I expect you to report back to duty immediately after your release." With that, he gets up from his seat.

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." Then he excuses himself and when he's left the infirmary, I lean back into my cushion and take a deep breath. Why do I suddenly have this feeling that I just signed up for a lifelong rollercoaster ride?

* * *

_DeLisle_

Alright. It's been two days now, and I really should stop this. I'm a Sergeant of the United States Air Force, I'm damn good at my job and I've earned more medals than most of the USAF's _officers_ ever will earn. I _really_ shouldn't be avoiding Lau… Captain Greenspan any longer. I mean, even the Major has seen that something is on, and let's face it: he's not the most sensitive kind of guy.

Apart from that, I really want to see Reece again. In the last two days my stupid leg prevented me from walking around too much, and so I just heard about her acceptance through the Major… who's taken to call her "Kid" at some point, although I have _no_ idea why. In fact, I heard it first when he told me about the results of talking to her in the infirmary, "Kid's decided to stay on the team. Want you to frame a plan on her further education in the fine art of _not_ blowing herself up. Oh, and since you won't take part actively in the next survival exercise, I want _you_ to think up some nice sticky situations especially for her."

Why he thinks O'Neill will let him chase his team through the forest so soon after a mission like the last one is simply beyond me. I for my part don't think Reece should be put through something like this so soon, but questioning the Major's orders is simply not my job. So now I'm stuck with both the training plan _and_ the torture on the survival exercise. I'm to hand it to Major Lorne who agreed to be the supervising officer at the Alpha site for the exercise for the Major, La… Captain Greenspan and the Lieutenant.

I wish that for once the Major wouldn't follow his habit of taking part in each and every one of these exercises, because then I wouldn't have to think up some torture – contrary to common belief not _all_ Sergeants have a sadistic little "I'm your instructor, call me God."-streak inside of them – but he gave me an order and now I have to comply with it.

Unfortunately, I just got done with that part of the order, which means that I don't have any more excuses to hole myself up in my quarters. _And_ Captain Greenspan will most certainly already have realized that something's up with me – contrary to the Major, she's sensitive enough that she figures such stuff out pretty fast – which means I have to appear in front of her, at least pretending that everything is okay.

And there's still Reece… ah hell. This is getting me nowhere. There's _no_ reason why I should be avoiding Captain Greenspan and there's no reason why I have to pretend anything. Well, except that I still keep hearing this laugh and seeing those eyes every time I close my eyes and can't stop calling her by her first name in my head, but we'll just simply ignore that. If you have worked with the CIA, you develop a skill for ignoring just about _every_ thought and doubt you want to ignore.

With a sigh, I finally send my proposal to Major Lorne, gather my stuff together and slowly make my way to the mess hall. If I'm about to encounter the team again, I should really be doing it on a full stomach. I just wish, though, that we had beaming technology installed in the SGC. Right now… I really could use it. I'd never tell anyone, but the bullet wound does bother me a little, as do the crutches and the hobbling.

When I'm on the level with the officers' personal quarters, I suddenly hear a very familiar female laugh coming through the open door of one of the common rooms, followed by another familiar male huff. In the common room right in front of me, at least the Major and Lau… Cap… _dammit_! Maybe I should just stay with Laura, because anything else obviously is impossible anyway. Anyway… they're sitting in the common room and… oh, that sounds like Reece's snorts.

Cautiously, I pear around the corner to look into the room. There, in one of the corners, my three teammates are sitting. All of them, even the Major, are looking surprisingly relaxed. Laura is recounting some story from when the Major was still attending the Air Force Academy, and from the look of him, it's something embarrassing. But Laura is obviously having fun. "You really should have seen Tom's face when Lorne and Williamson told him whose daughter he'd been pursuing so very persistently." Is that a blush I see on the Major's face?

And is that a very tentative grin I see on Reece's face? Huh. That's maybe the first time ever I see her get out of her shell around the Major at least a little. Something… in her attitude changed, like she's not… _afraid_ of him anymore. And Laura… well, Laura looks like she always does: Great. She's at the center of both their attention, and she's enjoying it, that much I can tell. She's no diva, but a natural entertainer. People like to listen to her and laugh with her. I realize how different she is from me, and that's just one more reason why I should stop staring at her.

Dear God, here I am, on crutches outside a common room, spying on my three teammates, who are all officers and all my superiors, and I realize how different they _all_ are from me. Even despite the long years I've been serving with the Major and the strange moves Laura sometimes makes in my direction and the fact that Reece has probably been still in high school when I joined the Air Force, there's still a very fine line between them and me in my head that makes me hesitate to join them.

But… ah hell, they may be my superiors and they may all be not exactly what you'd call an average officer in one way or the other, but most of all… they're my _team_. And I wouldn't want them any other way, if I have to be honest. So I simply take a deep breath and say, "Hey, uh… there still a spot for a Sergeant in your round?" All of them turn towards the door, and it's Laura who speaks up first.

"About time you make it here, Dee. We were already thinking up plans of how to kidnap you best from your quarters." Well… that was to be expected. I guess I should just learn to get used to it and tell myself there's nothing to it.

As I enter the room, all of them are moving to make me sit down comfortably as naturally as if I was one of their own. Which… which I am, as I realize. I'm as much a member of SG10 as they are, and _they_ have accepted it without question. Maybe _I_ should start to really accept it as well. "Alright, so… where was I? Oh yeah, Academy stories. Did I ever tell you about that Russian exchange cadet we had? You'll just love that story…" Yes, I'm sure I will. But even more I'll like the feeling of this team finally starting to grow together.


End file.
